text:
The Rise and Fall of Phil Shiner
Peace News
June-July 2017
On 2 February 2017, Phil Shiner, the award-winning human rights lawyer who brought the UK government to account for the 2003 killing of the Iraqi hotel receptionist Baha Mousa, was struck off by the solicitors disciplinary tribunal (SDT). In March 2017, Shiner, who was also ordered to pay interim costs of £250,000, was declared bankrupt, and was reported to be in poor health.
Shiner and his legal firm, by fighting for victims of the Iraq war, had made enemies of some of the most powerful forces in our society – the government, the military, and the right-wing press. The British military has been on the back foot since the deeply unpopular wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, with its international reputation damaged and recruitment dwindling.
It seems likely that these rattled centres of established power have been hounding Shiner – and have now seized on his professional demise – to drive home their own long-term agenda: to shift national politics back to unquestioning support for the armed forces and an interventionist foreign policy.
Shiner, 60, set up Midlands-based Public Interest Lawyers (PIL) 18 years earlier, gaining plaudits for the company's environmental work, for winning a landmark battle for equal pay and pensions for Gurkhas, and for acting for veterans suffering from 'Gulf War Syndrome'.
However, it was the Baha Mousa case which brought Shiner to the public's attention – and led to him to coming 'under concerted attack', Bill Bowring, professor of law at Birkbeck at the University of London, told me. As a result of Shiner's efforts, it was found that Mousa had died in British custody after sustaining 93 injuries, including fractured ribs and a broken nose.
In 2004, Shiner was named human rights lawyer of the year by the organisations Liberty and Justice for 'his tremendous skill, tenacity and dedication to fighting for justice'. William A Schabas, professor of international law at Middlesex University, told me: 'For many years, Phil Shiner was one of the most effective and eloquent voices against impunity for the violations of international law attributable to the government of the United Kingdom and its armed forces.'
It was after the Al-Sweady public inquiry was set up in 2009 that Shiner's fortunes started to change. The inquiry investigated accusations by PIL and others that British soldiers had murdered and mistreated prisoners following the 'Battle of Danny Boy' in Iraq in 2004.
The inquiry concluded in 2014 that a number of prisoners had been abused, and that British troops had breached the Geneva Conventions. However, in relation to murder, the judge stated that the accusations against British soldiers were 'wholly without foundation and entirely the product of deliberate lies, reckless speculation and ingrained hostility.'
The British defence secretary, Michael Fallon, denounced Shiner for leading the 'shameful attempt' to attack the British armed forces. He announced that the solicitors regulation authority (SRA) would be investigating.
Taking his cue from Fallon, in a December 2014 article titled 'These human rights parasites should be tried for treason', Richard Littlejohn of the Daily Mail suggested that those falsely accused 'would be happy to form a firing squad' to shoot Shiner.
This campaign against Shiner was widely criticised. 'In sending a dossier to the Solicitors Regulatory [sic] Authority the government is not only trespassing on an important separation of powers', a March 2015 Guardian editorial argued; 'it is risking the same over-identification between lawyer and client' that led to the murder of Irish human rights lawyer Patrick Finucane in 1989.
Indeed, Shiner was receiving multiple death threats. The UK law society and the council of bars and law societies of Europe wrote to the UK government to protest against its political attacks on Shiner.
Announcing in February that Shiner had been struck off, the SDT upheld 22 charges of professional misconduct surrounding the Al-Sweady inquiry. This judgement was based on sources including emails, text messages, handwritten notes and witness statements. Shiner, pleading ill health and lack of funds, did not appear – and was not represented – at the trial. According to the SDT, the charges were 'proven to the criminal standard of proof'.
The Legal Futures blog summarised the charges: 'authorising unsolicited direct approaches to potential clients; paying prohibited referral fees to, and approving an improper fee-sharing arrangement with, a middleman, Mazin Younis, and later bribing him to change his evidence on how the clients had been identified; misleading the SRA [all these were admitted by Shiner, though he did not admit to the following]; failing to comply with his duty of candour to the court; failing to comply with his duty of full and frank disclosure to the Legal Services Commission; and making improper allegations at a press conference that the British Army had unlawfully killed, tortured and mistreated Iraqi civilians, including his clients.'
'His misconduct has caused real distress to soldiers, their families and to the families of Iraqi people who thought their loved ones had been murdered or tortured', stated Paul Philip, the SRA chief executive.
Other than Shiner, I cannot find any journalist or commentator who has questioned the SDT's findings, though the Leigh Day law firm (see below) has claimed the SRA may have been pressured by the government to bring the case.
Impunity returns
Shiner's professional disgrace has already had significant repercussions, with Professor Schabas noting it 'has only emboldened those who proclaim impunity for war crimes and other violations of international law.'
In October 2016, the government announced plans to opt out of the European Convention on Human Rights during future conflicts to block an 'industry of vexatious claims' against troops – a move criticised as dangerous by both Liberty and the Law Society.
In February 2017, it was announced that the Iraq historical allegations team (IHAT), the unit investigating claims of abuse by British forces in Iraq, would be shut down. Shiner's downfall was 'the beginning of the end for IHAT', Fallon noted, 'Now we are taking action to stop such abuse of our legal system from happening again.'
As part of this process, the royal military police are to discontinue investigating 90 percent of the 675 allegations of abuse from Afghanistan, according to the ministry of defence.
The government's pursuit of Shiner seems to have been a deliberate attempt 'to chill future claims', according to the Guardian (3 February 2017).
Professor Bowring agrees: 'Any lawyers who assist victims of UK government injustice can now expect similar treatment' to Shiner. He adds: 'The attacks on Shiner culminating in the latest findings, closure of Public Interest Lawyers, bankruptcy, and criminal prosecution are likely to be the fate of any campaigning lawyers.'
It was reported in April that the law firm Leigh Day is being prosecuted by the SRA because of its conduct during the Al-Sweady inquiry.
This entry was posted in Media, UK Foreign Policy and tagged Afghanistan, Iraq, Phil Shiner, UK foreign policy on June 20, 2017 by ianjs2014.
Book review: Nonviolent Resistance to the Nazis by George Paxton
"But what about Nazi Germany?" No doubt many Peace News readers have been asked this question when they have voiced support for nonviolence outside activist circles.
Summarising a range of published material, George Paxton shows that nonviolent resistance to Adolf Hitler's government was widespread. And though it is often poorly referenced and somewhat repetitive, Nonviolence Resistance to the Nazis feels like one of the most important books I've read in a long time.
From underground newspapers, open letters, graffiti, socially ostracising the occupiers, to slow working, boycotts and hiding and rescuing Jews, Paxton sets out what is effectively secret history in a culture that reveres the violent struggle against Nazi Germany. Who knew, for example, that on the first day Copenhagen was occupied handwritten leaflets appeared on the streets, titled 'Ten Commandments for Passive Resistance'?
In the book's middle section Paxton zeros in on case studies of resistance, such as the extraordinary White Rose Group. Active in Munich in the 1940s, this secret band of young people printed thousands of anti-Nazi leaflets and distributed them throughout Germany – often travelling to other cities to post them on to avoid detection.
Though they worked under an extremely repressive state, individuals, groups and populations were able to win some limited successes – highlighting the fact the Nazi leadership was not all powerful, but often compromised for political reasons. In Denmark nearly all of the Jewish population were rescued from the Holocaust, while a 1941 strike in France against food shortages involving 100,000 miners won more food coupons. In Berlin in 1943 the non-Jewish wives of Jews protested in the street over the threatened deportation of their husbands. Though the Gestapo HQ was close by "they did not act against the women fearing that the protests might spread", notes Paxton, and the deportations were suspended.
Citing French historian Jacques Semelin, Paxton argues a number of factors increased the chances of success: a united front by the occupied populace, strong democratic traditions and grassroots organisations, a belief in tolerance and a good source of money and food. Like nonviolence guru Gene Sharp (PN 2543), Paxton, who is a Trustee of the Gandhi Foundation, believes that nonviolent resistance would have been most effective against Nazi Germany if it had been deployed at the earliest stage possible.
A goldmine of information, fascinating stories and inspiration for peace activists, Nonviolent Resistance to the Nazis deserves a wide readership.
This entry was posted in Nonviolence, Protest/activism and tagged Gandhi, Gene Sharp, Holocaust, Nazi Germany, Nonviolence, World War Two on June 14, 2017 by ianjs2014.
How does UK foreign policy raise the terror threat in the UK?
We are in the middle of a high stakes propaganda war.
With the Conservative poll lead shrinking by the day, the establishment have been throwing everything it has got at Jeremy Corbyn to put a stop to his increasingly credible bid for Downing Street.
Perhaps sensing the floodgates of the Tory attack machine would be opened after the atrocity in Manchester carried out by Salman Abedi on 22 May 2017, the Labour leader did the smart thing and took control of the narrative himself. "Many experts, including professionals in our intelligence and security services have pointed to the connections between wars our government has supported or fought in other countries, such as Libya, and terrorism here at home", Corbyn explained when electioneering started up again on 26 May 2017.
Though much of the press didn't take kindly to this argument, a YouGov poll found 53 percent of people agreed with Corbyn that the wars the UK has supported or fought are partly responsible for terror attacks in the UK (24 percent of people disagreed). However, despite – or perhaps because of – the broad public support for this position, Theresa May and her cabinet have continued to smear Corbyn on the topic by wilfully misrepresenting his argument.
With this in mind, it is worth summarising the three main ways UK foreign policy has increased the terror threat to the UK — a task made even more important in light of the terrorist attack in London on Saturday.
The first is the most simple and direct relationship – UK wars in the Middle East have created a well of anger that has energised and motivated a number of people to carry out terrorist attacks on British soil. "Until we feel security, you will be our targets," Mohammad Sidique Khan stated in his 7/7 suicide bombing martyrdom video. "Until you stop the bombing, gassing, imprisonment and torture of my people we will not stop this fight. We are at war and I am a soldier. Now you too will taste the reality of this situation." According to a report in the Independent, the last message left on the WhatsApp messaging service by Khalid Masood, the perpetrator of the 22 March 2017 Westminster attack, "declared that he was waging jihad in revenge against Western military action in Muslim countries in the Middle East." Similarly, Abedi's sister told the Wall Street Journal "He saw the explosives America drops on children in Syria, and he wanted revenge".
These justifications concur with the testimony of the former head of MI5, Baroness Manningham-Buller, who told the Iraq Inquiry in 2010 that the 2003 invasion of Iraq "substantially" increased the terrorist threat to the UK.
Interestingly, those who try to downplay or deny a link between terrorist attacks and UK foreign policy, such as Jonathan Freedland in his recent Guardian piece titled It's A Delusion To Think This Is All About Our Foreign Policy, focus their attention on this connection alone, thus creating straw man to knock down. The link, as Freedland surely knows, is deeper than this.
The second way UK foreign policy increases the terror threat to the UK was set out by Corbyn in the Channel 4/Sky Battle for Number 10 programme: "We have to have a foreign policy… that doesn't leave large areas without any effective government… which can become a breeding ground of enormous danger to all of us." In a video for Novara Media, Dr David Wearing from SOAS, University of London fleshes out this thesis. Islamic State (ISIS) "grew out of and flourished in the chaos created by the 2003 invasion of Iraq", he argues, before also explaining the UK-backed Saudi bombing in Yemen has created a "chaotic situation" in which Al-Qaeda and ISIS have grown in strength. "ISIS and Al Qaeda they love the chaos created by conflict", he notes. "That's where they thrive, that's where they operate, that's where they exploit people's grievances." Ditto Libya, where the 2011 NATO intervention contributed to "political and economic collapse, inter-militia and inter-tribal warfare, humanitarian and migrant crises, widespread human rights violations, the spread of Gaddafi regime weapons across the region and the growth of ISIL [ISIS]", according to a 2016 House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee report. And it is not just overt military intervention. In Syria the West has covertly armed rebels and played a little known role in blocking peace negotiations, thus helping to intensify and prolong the conflict, creating the perfect conditions for extremist groups to prosper.
The third connection is largely ignored by Westminster and mainstream commentators: the longstanding diplomatic, military and economic support the UK has given to its close ally Saudi Arabia.
The authoritarian Gulf monarchy – propped up by the UK and US – has "exported more extreme ideology than any other place on earth over the course of the last 30 years", according to the former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaking in 2013.
Starting in the late 1970s, Saudi Arabia made huge efforts to spread its extremist form of Islam, Wahhabism, across the world. "They took the massive petro dollars they had accumulated and started spreading it, creating these madrassas, or schools, aswell as mosques, importing Imans and teachers and then sending them back home indoctrinated", Medea Benjamin, author of Kingdom of the Unjust: Behind the US-Saudi Connection, told me last year.
The UK has not been immune to this influence. "It is no secret that Saudi Arabia in particular provides funding to hundreds of mosques in the UK, espousing a very hardline Wahhabist interpretation of Islam", Tom Brake, the Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesperson, recently wrote to the UK Prime Minister. "It is often in these institutions that British extremism takes root."
While Corbyn is repeatedly grilled about his relationship with the IRA and Hamas, the fact the Tory Government has been selling billions of pounds of armaments to the biggest exporter of "extreme ideology" on the planet has been swept under the carpet by our so-called fearless fourth estate. A more perfect example of the propaganda function of the media you'll be hard pressed to find.
Finally, recent reports point to one more example of how UK foreign policy likely heightens the terror threat. "MI5, the UK's domestic intelligence agency, facilitated the travel of many Islamist Mancunians back to Libya" to fight the Libyan government, according to the Financial Times. The Middle East Eye news website provides more detail, noting British authorities "operated an 'open door' policy that allowed Libyan exiles and British-Libyan citizens to join the 2011 uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi even though some had been subject to counter-terrorism control orders." The Financial Times notes that security officials have repeatedly highlighted the dangerous dynamics of the Syrian war – which are also applicable to Libya: "a cohort of young Britons who will be brutalised by the conflict, skilled in the trade and tools of war, connected to transnational networks of fellow fighters by powerful bonds of kinship and shared suffering."
Of course, UK foreign policy is not the sole cause of the terror threat from radical Islamists. However, UK foreign policy is the one aspect of the problem that we have the most influence on – both as UK-based activists and the British government itself. And while it may not eradicate the threat completely, a foreign policy that does not repeatedly military intervene in the Middle East and prop up dictatorships such as Saudi Arabia would likely significantly reduce the terror threat to the UK. With the UK's stretched security services reportedly currently investigating 3,000 people in the aftermath of the Manchester attack surely this can only be a good thing?
This entry was posted in Media, UK Domestic Politics, UK Foreign Policy and tagged David Wearing, Iraq, Jeremy Corbyn, Jonathan Freedland, Libya, Medea Benjamin, Terrorism, UK foreign policy, War on Terror on June 8, 2017 by ianjs2014.


text:
CGObj* GetObj(MapID eID)
{
    switch (eID) {
    case ID_STONE:
        return new CStone();
    case ID_PLATE:
        return new CPlate();
    case ID_KEY_RED:
        return new CKeyRed();
    case ID_KEY_GREEN:
        return new CKeyGreen();
    case ID_GATE_RED:
        return new CGateRed();
    case ID_GATE_GREEN:
        return new CGateGreen();
    case ID_STONE_OLD:
        return new CStoneOld();
    case ID_CLOCK:
        return new CClock();
    case ID_TELEPORT:
        return new CTeleport();
    case ID_STONE_BIG:
        return new CBigStone();
    case ID_STONE_BIG_REST:
        return new CBigStoneRest();
    case ID_ENTER:
        return new CEnter();
    case ID_EXIT:
        return new CExit();
    case ID_ARROW_LEFT:
        return new CArrowLeft();
    case ID_ARROW_RIGHT:
        return new CArrowRight();
    case ID_ARROW_CROSS:
        return new CArrowCross();
    case ID_ARROW_LEFTRIGHT:
        return new CArrowLeftRight();
    case ID_ARROW_UP:
        return new CArrowUp();
    case ID_ARROW_DOWN:
        return new CArrowDown();
    case ID_ARROW_UPDOWN:
        return new CArrowUpDown();
    }
    return NULL;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


We have teamed up with blogger and travel writer Charli Moore to provide you with an insider's guide to our beautiful island's activities and attractions. She'll also be reviewing Nevis' varied array of eateries and beach bars; here she talks to Peter Dunning, manager of vibrant heritage plantation property the Golden Rock Inn.
Situated on the verdant slopes of Nevis Peak, the Golden Rock Inn is a historic plantation property that dates back to the 1800s. Owned by one of New York's most creative couples, Helen and Brice Marden, Golden Rock has been lovingly restored under their guidance and boasts a minimalist chic that perfectly complements its fine Nevisian stone walls and vaulted ceilings.
Meander along the paths that wend their way through the vibrant gardens and take a dip in the freshwater pool. Retreat from the afternoon heat and head into the bar for refreshment or enjoy alfresco dining on the terrace at The Rocks; a fine Nevis restaurant. Relax in the palm-shaded courtyard and watch as vervet monkeys, wild donkeys, and hummingbirds flit between historic ruins and modern furnishings; for Golden Rock is a fairytale world where old harmonizes with new.
In your opinion what sets Golden Rock apart from other plantation properties on Nevis?
Opening hours: Breakfast from 8:30am to 10:30am, lunch from 11:30am to 3pm, dinner from 6:30pm to 9pm. Dinner reservations are recommended.


text:
Kristy Puchko
Kristy Puchko is a New York-based film critic whose work has appeared on Vanity Fair, The Guardian, Vulture, and Pajiba. Born in a small Pennsylvania town known for flooding (and being the filming location of 'Slap Shot'), Kristy showed a deep love of cinema from an early age. She earned her B.A. in Film Studies at Macaulay Honors College's Brooklyn branch. Then, she spent some time on Sesame Street (as an intern) before moving into post-production, editing music videos, commercials, and films. From there, Kristy branched out into blogging, and quickly realized her true passion was in writing about film in a way that engaged and challenged audiences. Since then, she's traveled the world on assignment, attended a variety of film festivals, co-hosted movie-focused podcasts, and taught a film criticism course at FIT. But amid all her ventures, she's proud to call Pajiba.com her home, serving as the site's Chief Film Critic and Film Editor.
Review: Reminiscence
Lisa Joy's debut feature is an ingenious and ambitious mashup of sci-fi and neo-noir, with stellar performances to help sell its occasionally dodgy...
Review: Stillwater
Tom McCarthy's latest is a tricky but rewarding picture, complicating our notions of rugged American individualism (and Matt Damon's screen...
Review: Werewolves Within
This horror comedy has a juicy premise and some gifted performers, but it never quite comes together properly.
Review: Wrath of Man
Guy Ritchie's latest is a lifeless, listless, hopeless mess, with the once exciting writer/director (and his frequent star Jason Statham) merely...
Review: WeWork: Or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn
The rise and fall of WeWork could make for a compelling documentary, but the new Hulu feature isn't it.
Review: Cherry
The Russo Brothers' latest is a mess, a mishmash of visual and storytelling clichés, stranding a miscast Tom Holland in an embarrassing attempt at...
Review: Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry
Apple TV+'s new Billie Eilish documentary offers extensive access, copious music, and even some thought-provoking material on fame and fandom.
Review: Judas and the Black Messiah
Shaka King's dramatization of the murder of Fred Hampton is a rare historical drama that pulses with the urgency of now.
Review: Derek DelGaudio's In & Of Itself
Frank Oz's Hulu documentary captures a Broadway performance of DelGaudio's one-man show, in a manner that preserves the production's surprises...
The hotly hyped sequel to Patty Jenkins's superhero smash (streaming Christmas Day on HBO Max) is a well-intentioned muddle, overstuffed with...
Review: Sound of Metal
Dec 3rd, 2020
Darius Marder's directorial debut is an intense character drama and unnervingly immersive viewing experience.
Review: The Croods: A New Age
The new follow-up to the delightful 2013 animated feature offers, sadly, nothing more than more of the same.
Review: Freaky
The comedy/horror mash-up from the director of 'Happy Death Day' boasts a deliciously clever premise – and squanders it.
Review: Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Oct 22nd, 2020
Sascha Baron Cohen's follow-up to his 2006 megahit leans a bit too heavily on familiar shtick, but wisely adds a comic secret weapon.
Review: Ava
Tate Taylor's latest low-energy thriller has a killer cast and workable premise, yet does absolutely nothing right.
Jul 6th 9:00 AM
Mind Over Body: Looking Back at the Original Sleepaway Camp Trilogy
Apr 6th 9:00 AM
Yaphet Kotto Dies: Anatomy of an Actor in Two Death Scenes
Forgotten Silver and Peter Jackson's Mockumentary Roots

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Joaquin Phoenix has played a lot of characters who found themselves in a lot of awkward situations, but this one may just take the biscuit. He's Clay Bidwell and as we start the film, he's a small town mechanic in rural Montana shooting bottles in the hills with his best friend, Earl. Life would seem to be pretty good but it only takes a few minutes for everything to turn to utter crap. Earl points a gun at him, threatens to kill him because he knows he's been sleeping with his wife Amanda, then shoots himself. What's more, he's carefully set it all up so that Clay takes the fall.
Now Clay's biggest mistake of all is to tell Amanda what happened. She's a real bitch and refuses to tell her part in the story, so Clay has to find a way out of it all on his own. Then she refuses to leave him alone, even though he wants nothing more to do with her. When he picks up someone else, Amanda turns up and shoots her dead. However, though he doesn't realise it, his biggest problem comes in the form of Lester Long, apparently just some guy he befriends in a bar to play pool and go fishing with, but who doesn't seem to ever go away. And wherever he does go really bad things happen.
This is a Scott Free production, which means that Tony Scott is a co-executive producer and Ridley Scott is a co-producer. I'm sure they lent the production some credence on a grand scale but I don't know if they had any real input on a day to day basis. The key names seem to be new ones. Matt Healy is the writer and he seems to have done precisely nothing else, which is surprising. The director is David Dobkin, who has: he went on to Shanghai Knights, Wedding Crashers and Fred Claus, the latter two of which feature Vince Vaughn, who plays Lester Long here, or the character that uses that pseudonym. He turns on the charm like Brad Pitt as a highly personable serial killer with a unique laugh.
The third name at the top of the credits belongs to Janeane Garofalo, who plays the FBI agent investigating the string of murders, and she's always highly watchable. She doesn't enter the film until halfway through, she doesn't get the sort of flashy scene that tends to go to characters like this. We don't get huge insight into her background or motivations, though there are hints. What we get most is what may just be the real thing: an intelligent woman with a dedication to and a talent for her job, but who doesn't necessarily get those lucky breaks that FBI agents get in the movies, or when she does they don't necessarily pan out the way you might expect. She's very believable indeed and the portrayal is refreshing.
The film itself is refreshing too, for a serial killer movie: it's very laid back and doesn't focus on the technical aspects, instead providing a framework for the actors to flesh out with their characterisation skills. There's no real impact from the crimes, but I don't think that was ever the point. It's the mood that resonates, similarly to something like Tremors. Part of that mood may come from the settings: I'm not used to watching serial killer movies and imagining myself living in such beautiful surroundings, but I felt that in Tremors and I felt it here too. Interesting stuff, though not really what I expected.


LOS ANGELES, May 17, 2018 /3BL Media/ — The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association announced today details of the menus for the 2018 Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine season. Building on the success of last two summers with award-winning chef Suzanne Goin and business partner restaurateur Caroline Styne of The Lucques Group, and Sodexo Sports & Leisure, Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine promises exceptional dining for visitors to the iconic venue.
SANTA ROSA, Calif., November 14, 2017 /3BL Media/ - Net Impact, a global community of students and professionals, and Kendall-Jackson, the seminal winery in the Jackson Family Wines portfolio, have launched a sustainable wine case competition designed to harness the energy and ideas of young professionals dedicated to advancing sustainability. Julien Gervreau, Kendall-Jackson's Director of Sustainability, made the announcement on the keynote stage at the 2017 Net Impact Conference on October 27th in Atlanta, GA.
A visit to a Napa winery reveals how true love helps produce great wine.
Right off of Highway 29 in St. Helena, California, nestled into the base of the Mayacamas Mountains lies Flora Springs® Winery. What began as 300 acres purchased in 1977 by Jerry and Flora Komes, has expanded to over 650 acres in the Rutherford, Oakville, Carneros and St. Helena areas. However, it still maintains the charm of its third-generation, family-owned history.
Last week, the Seattle Times reported on a White House state dinner in honor of French President Francois Hollande. The wines were chosen for being among the U.S.'s vineyards that are owned or run by French vignerons and included Long Shadow's Chester-Kidder red blend 2009 from Walla Walla, Washington.
(3BL Media) St. Paul, MN – September 10, 2012 – In an effort to accelerate understanding of beverage sector impacts on climate change and identify reduction priorities for greenhouse gas emissions, the Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable (BIER) has published its research on carbon footprints for five beverage categories – beer, bottled water, carbonated soft drink, spirits and wine.


text:
Sara Lowe Lilly: Coach Returns to "Normal Life" After A 20-year Sporting Career
Sara grew up in Texas before relocating to San Francisco at 15 years old to pursue her athletic career as a synchronized swimming. She won a Bronze Medal at the 2004 Olympics. She attended Stanford University and competed collegiately for 4 years before becoming the assistant coach and eventually the head coach of Stanford synchro team. She earnt an MBA from St Mary's College and coached various Synchronized Swimming National Teams. She recently got married, relocated to Dallas and retired from coaching to start her own business.
Could you introduce yourself, tell us where you and your family are from?
My mother is from Ohio and my father is from Michigan. My parents met at University in Michigan. My mother did synchronized swimming in high school and college and my father was skier. After college, my parents moved to Indiana and then to Dallas, Texas to follow my aunt. I have a younger brother. My brother and I were both born in Texas. My family was very close to my maternal grandparents. I saw my grandmother almost every week.
How did get into synchronized swimming?
My grandmother started teaching me some synchronized swimming moves for fun when I was young. I then started officially at a summer camp before signing up for the whole year. Since we lived far from the pool, my mom would stay and coach. Before doing synchro, I did gymnastics for four years. But I was not good at it and eventually stopped. I was not a strong swimmer either but I loved to swim. I transferred some skills from gymnastics to synchro.
Did you already know you wanted to compete at the highest level?
From the time I was little, I wanted to go to the Olympics and I was quite obsessed about it. I learned everything I could about the synchro Olympians and the 1996 Gold Medal Team!
How did you get to the Olympics?
My mother received job offers from multiple places around the country. My family was going to relocate and I thought I had to stop swimming. My mum travelled to Stanford for her job interview and called me from there to ask if I wanted to swim for the Santa Clara Aquamaids. Two weeks later, we moved to the Bay Area. My father and brother followed a year after. I joined the club and swam with them for two years. I was selected to the Junior and Senior National Teams. I competed in the 2002 Junior Worlds in Montreal, Canada and in the 2002 World Cup in Zurich, Switzerland. I was then selected for the Olympic Team and went to the 2004 Olympic Games where I won a bronze medal.
How about school?
After high school, I did not want to attend college straight away. I wanted to focus on preparing for the Olympics. I had several disagreements with my parents about this timeline. They wanted me to apply for college immediately following high school. I pushed back but my grandmother called me to let me know this was not an option. And there was no arguing with my grandma… So I applied to three schools: Santa Clara University; Stanford and the University of the Pacific.
Where did you get accepted?
I received the news of my acceptance to Stanford in April 2002 at the end of my senior year of high school and two years before the Olympics. I did not tell my Olympic Team coaches I was considering collegiate synchro. Once I got accepted, I deferred my studies for a year so I could train full time with the National Team. A year later, I got selected for the 2004 Olympic Team and I deferred for another year.
Did you continue swimming after the Olympics?
I came back from the Athens Olympics and started school three weeks later. The coach who recruited me had retired and another coach took over. Full of excitement from the Olympics, I had new motivation to continue my career and I was committed to train towards the 2008 Olympics. I also wanted to be successful in the collegiate program and prove to people I could remain competitive in collegiate synchro.
How was your training regimen at Stanford?
At that point, Stanford synchro was training 8 hours per week. It was nothing in comparison with the National Team. I had trained over 10 hours per day six days per week to prepare for the 2004 Olympics! This was a difficult transition for me. After a couple of weeks, we agreed to increase to 20 hours per week. This was still less than before the Olympics.
How was the National Team after the Olympics?
The National Team was not the same as what I had experienced from 2002 to 2004. Some athletes were in full time training and others in college. I travelled back and forth between my duet partner's club and the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. We had two new coaches and a number of consultants, so the training and expectations were a bit inconsistent. My duet partner and I were also the only two returning Olympians on the team. We got paid to come back so there was some resentment about this preferential treatment. The team dynamics were difficult.
How was your competitive season that year?
I got injured before the start of the international competitive season in 2005. I went through the summer and competed in the 2005 World Championships. However, I returned to Stanford and was told by the medical staff I would not be able to compete at the same level again. They also told me I would have to undergo shoulder surgery.
That must have been hard to hear.
I knew at that point I was done competing internationally regardless of my injury. My body could not take it anymore and the team dynamics were not enticing. The injury confirmed what I already knew.
Did you continue to swim for Stanford?
I went on to swim in college for another three years. I was semi-retired from the sport, swimming at a lower and less intense level which was necessary with my on-going injury. I was the team captain but I often had to sit out because of my injury. I started running to stay in shape because I could not swim as much. I fell in love with running.
Did you know what you wanted to do professionally after Stanford?
Before college, I thought I was going to be an architect or work in design.
How were your academics at Stanford?
I was always a good student before college and thought I would breeze through Stanford. Due to my two-year gap between high school and college, I had decided to enroll in a lower-level math class. I dropped that course following the first class. This really impacted my confidence. I decided to expand my classes to subjects outside of architecture and design to fulfill my general requirements and explore other options.
Did school eventually become easier?
School became much easier and I found classes I enjoyed in psychology and communication (this was my major). During my sophomore year, I got a job as a purchase card auditor and developed a good rhythm. My closest friends were my teammates. My teammate from Canada decided not to compete for her country any longer at this point as I did. We were going through the same transition, which made it much easier for me.
Did you have other interests outside of synchro and school?
I got into running, hiking and cooking. I lived in a dorm with a kitchen and I started organizing social "foodie" events, cooking for athletes every Thursday night. My roommates and I had organized themed study parties, trying to be as sophisticated as one can be in college.
Did you know what you wanted to do after College?
During my senior year, I was anxious to find a job. Many of my friends secured jobs by the end of the fall quarter. I still was not sure what I wanted to do with my major. I started a fellowship at Stanford within the athletic department. This allowed me to work in three areas of the athletic department: compliance, development, and media and marketing. I started that program the first week after the end of school.
How did you go from this fellowship to becoming a coach?
While I was finishing the fellowship, the Stanford Synchro head coach went on maternity leave. The assistant coach replaced her and I joined the staff as a volunteer replacement coach. The head coach returned the following season and the assistant coach left. I applied for the assistant coach position and was named. I had also been offered an accounting job in the Stanford Athletic Department. However, when the coaching position became available, I realized I preferred to work with the athletes and that the position was a natural fit for me.
You became the head coach. How was that experience compared to being an athlete?
I really enjoyed my time as the head coach of Stanford Synchro. However, I did face some challenges when I transitioned from assistant coach to head coach. A number of my athletes were coming back to Stanford after having taken time off to compete with the national team. Some of these athletes were burned out. I was also finishing my term as an Athlete Representative on the USA Synchro Board of Directors and USOC Athlete Advisory Council. I often had to make decisions regarding national team issues and athletes in these roles. Although I recused myself from many discussions and tried to remain objective, I could not completely remove myself from making difficult decisions. I gained perspective and understanding of situations as a coach that I did not always understand as an athlete.
A lot of athletes go through an identity crisis when they retire, did you experience that?
I did not go through an identity crisis when I went from national team to Stanford to coaching. I still identified very much with athletics. When I became a coach, it was still part of my life and my identity. I still introduced myself to people in the same way. As a coach, I was a role model and I wanted to be fit and represent the athletic side of my job. So I continued to exercise pretty heavily. I wanted to be in a good shape also because I cared about people's perception at competitions. Now, I am working to redefine my identity since I have left Stanford and coaching. Many aspects I identified with are no longer significant in my new life. I knew this would come; however, I do not think it made the transition any easier. I am facing physical and psychological changes. Discovering and understanding what what I feel is a good beginning.
Who is supporting you through this transition?
I talk to my husband Matt and my parents often about my transition. I also talk to one of my closest friends. We worked together for six years so she is pretty aware if something is a little off with me. I used to see a therapist in previous years to help me through some situations. I feel I have the tools and experience to make sense of things and understand my reactions and feelings.
What is the most unsettling feeling for you as you transition into your new life?
Many things in my life are different now. I got married, moved to another state, and am starting my own business. I am working from home, which means I set my own schedule. This is difficult especially since I do not have a set consistent schedule yet. I am learning to be okay working through the changes and I remind myself to be patient. I do look forward to having a routine and working with clients. I am also not exercising as much as I did in previous years. I have learn to be okay if I do not have time for a run. I have to force myself to accept that!
How do you introduce yourself to people now?
I have never introduced myself as an Olympic athlete. I did not want to only be defined as an athlete. I felt in doing that, I limited the conversations I could have with people. I used to introduce myself as a Stanford coach, which opened the doors to many conversations. I now introduce myself as Sara Lilly (new married name) and I explain that I am new to the area and starting my own business. It sparks a lot of interests and questions.
Please give us examples of skills you have transferred to your new life?
I learned many skills from sport that have helped me in life. Time management is definitely one. I know how to be efficient and complete tasks. I also have strong skills in managing a budget and being creative with it. I have good people skills. I know how to read people and how to adapt my style to different audiences. I used this skill often in dealing with athletes, parents, and donors. I am mentally very strong. My teammates and I were often pushed physically further than we thought we could. This required immense mental toughness and resilience. I call on this skill this at times in work and life. It is a great skill; however, I have to remind myself that not everybody is this way. Sometimes, I have to be more patient with others who do not feel the same level of urgency or commitment.I have also learned that, even if I am nervous, I will be okay. I am comfortable with discomfort as I know it will pass. Some people are afraid of this feeling as the unknown and uncertainty can be unsettling. As an athlete, I had to perform even when I was scared or unsure. Going into the business world, I am nervous, but I know if I just walk out there and use the skills I developed as an athlete, I will be okay.
What are you going to miss the most?
I am going to miss the culture at Stanford and the interaction with the student-athletes. I always felt so lucky to be constantly challenged. I will miss the conversations and interactions with the other coaches, the collaboration, the team work, curiosity and open-mind that you find on campus. Coaches and staff were always trading information, learning, and trying to get better. I always felt challenged.
Do you feel that you have reached your goals in sport?
I feel I have achieved my goals. I made my family proud which was always important to me. I also feel I helped moved collegiate synchro forward and prove it is possible to compete at a high level in collegiate sport. As a coach, I felt successful in a number of ways. Final results were always important but they were not everything. I gained a great understanding of recruiting. Almost all of the recruits we put forward for early acceptance got accepted. I found great satisfaction in that. Graduating athletes with a positive experience of their sport was another achievement. A number of athletes came into Stanford burned out and with low motivation. My coaching staff allowed them to enjoy their sport again.
What are your plans for the future?
I want to start a family in the next few months. I would like to have a successful business. I do not feel the need to prove anything at this point but I would like to be accomplished and respected. I also want to be able to provide for my family and future kids and give them the experiences they want.
Did you experience any financial hardships after you retired?
No, I didn't as I had a lot of support from my family. I received a little bit of money from the Olympics but not enough to go off path.
What could you have done differently during your career or your transition?
I do not think I would change much. I could have been more open with my parents during my career. I did not share a lot of what was going on at practice. I share more with my parents now and I think it is hard for them to hear at times as they feel that they could have done more to support me.
What other things have you been doing since you retired?
My husband and I enjoy trying new restaurants in Dallas and having new experiences. I also would like to learn a language. I was nearly fluent in Spanish and would like to develop that skill again. I am getting back into reading for my personal growth and enjoyment. I also want to get back into knitting and sewing as I used to do as a kid with my grandma. I am also contemplating getting into a Master swimming team.


text:
Largo Woodruff, née le , est une actrice américaine.

Biographie
Elle est principalement connue pour le rôle qu'elle tient dans le film de Tobe Hooper,  Massacres dans le train fantôme (1981). Dans les années 1980 et 1990, elle est apparue dans plusieurs téléfilms, parmi lesquels Bill (1981) et Bill: On is Own (1983), aux côtés de Mickey Rooney et Dennis Quaid.

Filmographie

Cinéma
 1978 : Mélodie pour un tueur
 1980 : Stardust Memories
 1981 : Massacres dans le train fantôme : Liz Duncan
 1986 : Violences : Terry
 2003 : Jeepers Creepers 2 : la femme dans la voiture (non-créditée)

Télévision
 1980 : ABC Afterschool Special (série télévisée) (1 épisode) : Felicity
 1981 : Word of Honor (téléfilm) : Amy
 1981 : The Choice (téléfilm) : Lisa Clements
 1981 : Coward of the County (téléfilm) : Becky
 1981 : Bill (téléfilm) : Beverly Morrow
 1983 : Bill: On is Own (téléfilm) : Beverly Morrow
 1990 : Perry Mason- Le verre empoisonné (téléfilm) : Judy Fulmer
 1991 : Les Robinsons de Wall Street (téléfilm) : Lois Rice
 1993 : Cops (téléfilm) : Alice
 1994 : Couples (téléfilm)
 1996 : For the Future: The Irvine Fertility Scandal (téléfilm) : Marlene
 1999 : Au fil de la vie (téléfilm) : Margaret

Notes et références

Liens externes

Actrice américaine
Naissance en juillet 1955
Naissance au New Jersey

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Weathering freight cars using both dry-brushing and airbrushing.
Using the foxtail grass-like weed to model N-scale cedars.
The author describes how he converted two Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0 locomotives to match the Louisville & Nashville H-29 Consolidation. Includes several prototype photos, many construction photos, and includes DCC conversion. An exploded parts diagram of the model is shown on page 54.
Constructing the roof and final details.
A brief history of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad station in Louisville, Kentucky. The structure was started with cardstock frame, covered with Hogate & Reynolds vinyl sheeting, and includes cast resin windows.


text:
The Iron Fairies - Restaurant, Bar, Live Music
UNEXPECTED TASTE
ABOUT IRON FAIRIES
IRON FAIRIES SHOP
franchise@theironfairies.com
The Iron Fairies - a magical and entertaining venue, comes to life in a kaleidoscope of colour and charisma. Created by acclaimed Australian designer Ashley Sutton, who has exported his enchanted den of magic, music and mystery from New York to Bangkok, Tokyo and Hong Kong. The Iron Fairies presents a bewitching night of live jazz and blues, innovative comfort food and exceptional mixology, amidst a worldly interior that captivates and invigorates the imagination. Likewise, The Iron Fairies adds a touch of magic to entertainment and night scenes.
Inspired by Sutton's experience in the iron ore mines of Western Australia, and taking cues from his own children's book trilogy about a band of grumpy miners trapped underground, tasked with forging iron fairies from the ore, this beguiling space is an ironsmith's workshop that has become bewitched by a troupe of mischievous fairies determined to dance and sing the night away. Furnished in raw iron, hand-hewn timber, and soft, supple leather, the space caters for guests across individually designed furnaces and casting rooms and a main workshop space, a wonderland of industrial and magical design featuring low-slung ceilings, handmade custom furnishings, working mine machinery, and a hanging garden that is home to thousands of intricately crafted butterflies. This innovative workshop is also home to 12 individual fairies, each with its own, often mischievous, personality and identity.
"The beauty of the fairies is that with 12 personality types, guests can identify with one or more of them, even the four mischievous ones," says Sutton. The Iron Fairies retails merchandise, including fairy dust, iron fairy figurines, and iron fairy story books for guests. The experiences at The Iron Fairies are complemented by ever-changing music genres including emerging and established jazz and blues acts, making The Iron Fairies a diverse, enchanting and entertaining nightspot experience. The Iron Fairies is an Ashley Sutton owned franchise brand for bar and merchandise retail.
Ashley Sutton Creative Genius
Ashley Sutton interior designs attract attention. With jaw-dropping bars across Bangkok, Hong Kong and Tokyo, the Australian-born interior designer has made a name for himself in Asia. His interior designs frequently top the must-see lists and things-to-do compilations – and it's not hard to see why. Ash Sutton is a whirlwind of creative, kinetic energy – and it's this unique appeal that's infused into every inch of his breathtaking interior designs. Originally from Fremantle in Western Australia, the prolific interior designer has made a name for himself in Bangkok, Hong Kong and Tokyo and is intent on conquering the world. Ash Sutton interior designs are taking Asia by storm. The Australian-born maestro recently took out top honours in not one, but two design awards. Proving he is a powerful player in the industry, his luxuriously sensual bar design for Ophelia won over the judges in signature, stylish fashion.
The Iron Fairies - Dining Concept - Restaurants
The Iron Fairies
Iron Fairies promises a bewitching night of live music, innovative comfort food and exceptional mixology, amidst other worldly interiors that captivate and invigorate imaginations.
This is a place for hearty dishes including burgers and chicken wings, meat balls or salads matched with boutique beers or superbly crafted coctails by the mixologists - all bound to please your palete. Entertainment is the key element at The Iron Fairies with live music every night, jazz and blues, great bands, amazing DJ's, sensational sounds!
The style and design of The Iron Fairies has already proved that the brand 'works', attracting an eclectic guest segment ready to spend. Each of the existing locations record exceptional revenue and profit margins and now is the time for us to take the brand to global markets. The Iron Fairies is a success story and utilising the extraordinary talents of its designer, Ashley Sutton and the marketing strategies that are proving ideal in existing locations, we now offer this opportunity to capitalise on a product designed to succeed. In addition to capitalisation on the investment through bar, food and entertainment avenues, the retail products that are in existence and those being developed, further increase profit opportunities.
"Dreams are where passion is born,
passion makes dreams come true"
The Iron Fairies Shop
Iron Fairies is a concept derived from 3 children's books written by Ashley Sutton. The stories are based on a underground world of iron miners who make iron fairies from different types or ore they mine. These fairies, when they see sunlight, come to life as the ore they are made from contains a magical ingredient.
Cuisine: Contemporary
Email: franchise@theironfairies.com
Address: Room 1601, Floor 16,
Chinachem Hollywood Centre,
1-3 Hollywood Road, Central,
Drag for 360° view
Please, verify your email and name
Something went wrong. Please, send us an email.
Product succesfully added to your cart


text:
Elena Renker
Formed through a process of endless experimentation, ceramicist Elena Renker's textural, organic vases, which you'll see in every room of The Hotel Britomart, are each unique works of art.
There are no shortcuts, and very few breaks when wood-firing pottery. When German-born, Auckland-based ceramic artist Elena Renker stokes up her kiln, she knows she will have to work almost non-stop for the next 24 hours.
To keep her hand-built kiln heated to 1200 degrees Celsius to bake the beautiful earthenware vases featured in each guest room at The Hotel Britomart in Auckland, she had to feed the fire with wood every three to four minutes. In between each load, there was just enough time to sit down, take a few sips of tea, a bite of the food she prepared the day before, or dash to the bathroom.
"I often feel that firing the kiln is a bit like giving birth," says Elena who, with five children, has some experience in that area too. "It takes as long as it takes, and you can't stop, because then everything's lost. You can't just say, 'No, I'm too tired. I'm going to bed.' You just keep going and going and going until it's done."
The huge effort is worth it. Elena's hand-thrown and hand-carved vases and tea bowls are each works of art, with unique patterns, irregularities and 'imperfections' that give them a human element and make them come alive to the touch.
She works in the Japanese Chawan tradition, using two or three types of fresh clay blended with sand and 'grog' (pre-fired and ground clay) that will fire to a rich brown hue. Once formed, her pieces are decorated with ash or iron slips and partially glazed, using quick, gestural movements.
Her work is an endless process of experimentation and play. The white Shino glaze she mainly uses took over a year of testing before she found a formula she loved. For firing, she experiments with woods and flammable materials to see how their ashes 'paint' different residues in the glaze.
"It's really incredible how different woods have a different look. Gum will give a very green ash and pine gives a dark red ash. I've even experimented with cobwebs to see what that does, or cabbage tree leaves. One winter, every time I went for a walk, I collected lichen and tried that. It's that process of thinking, 'What if?' Of imagining there's a possibility. Maybe it's nothing but maybe it's something incredible.
"That's what I love about it. Wood firing is the chance to get something out that's really, really amazing." She laughs. "Of course, often you also get something unexpectedly horrible."
Elena was excited to take on The Hotel Britomart's commission that allowed her to experiment with a set vase size, but using different clays, glazes and firings to ultimately deliver more than unique 100 pieces.
"The old potters learned by making 100 pots a day – the same thing over and over until it became automatic. And as a potter making a lot of one-off commissions, I hardly ever get that chance now. I look forward to doing things that are a challenge to me and that I feel inspired by. This was one of those projects."
More Crafted by Hotel Britomart Stories
David Oliveri


Helen's Restaurant opened for business on Main Street in Machias in 1950. Helen and Larry Mugnai along with Larry's brother Julie and sister Esther ran the restaurant, building the reputation of great homemade food…and no one who had one could ever forget those pies!
In 1976 a customer who often teased Larry about selling Helen's was surprised one day when Larry said he was ready to sell. Bob and Joan Carter purchased Helen's with Larry staying on board to help during the transition. With crowds waiting up the street for a seat and poor parking on Main Street, the Carters decided to move Helen's to its present location in 1983.
The Carters sold the restaurant to Joan's sister Judy and her husband Gary Hanscom (with Larry still in the bakery). With encouragement and help from Mugnai, Judy & Gary Hanscom opened Helen's of Ellsworth in 1994. Larry Mugnai then retired from Helen's after 44 years.
Judy and Gary eventually sold the Ellsworth business to their Operating Manager Melanie Omlor-Fox, who had also been an employee for them in the late 80s at the Machias Location.
Helen's of Ellsworth is honored to employ four 20+ year staff members: 2 bakers, a cook and a server. We feel confident that with the longevity of many of our employees, who take such pride in customer satisfaction, that your experience will be nothing less than exceptional.
From our family to yours, thank you for choosing Helen's Restaurant!


The quality of their work and their coaching interventions are what makes Talking Talent exceptional. Our culture and passion is unique, and we truly practice what we preach. This is clear through the high demand for our services and being recognised as the 'Consultancy of the Year' at the Personnel Today Awards.
We are very family orientated and fully embrace agile working – in fact, only 40% of people work full-time. We believe our 'outcome focussed' culture is what really drives the business. We enjoy travel, we enjoy our work and we enjoy getting the most out of life. We have a genuinely refreshing culture and an organisational commitment to changing the way the world does business.
We recognise our wider social responsibilities and have a strong fundraising and volunteering culture, both as a business and as individuals. Our people have a commitment to supporting charitable initiatives at home and abroad, offering their time and expertise to improve the lives of others less fortunate, as well as raising money for donations to a wide range of causes. We also take a proactive approach to reducing the impact of our business operations on the environment.


text:
require File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), "..", "test_helper")
require 'mocha'
require 'test_runner'

class MockWithInitializerBlockAcceptanceTest < Test::Unit::TestCase

  include TestRunner

  def test_should_expect_two_method_invocations_and_receive_both_of_them
    test_result = run_test do
      mock = mock() do
        expects(:method_1)
        expects(:method_2)
      end
      mock.method_1
      mock.method_2
    end
    assert_passed(test_result)
  end

  def test_should_expect_two_method_invocations_but_receive_only_one_of_them
    test_result = run_test do
      mock = mock() do
        expects(:method_1)
        expects(:method_2)
      end
      mock.method_1
    end
    assert_failed(test_result)
  end

  def test_should_stub_methods
    test_result = run_test do
      mock = mock() do
        stubs(:method_1).returns(1)
        stubs(:method_2).returns(2)
      end
      assert_equal 1, mock.method_1
      assert_equal 2, mock.method_2
    end
    assert_passed(test_result)
  end

end