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You are at:Home»older»University Announces Holiday Hours
University Announces Holiday Hours
By southeast on	 December 22, 2004 older
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo.,
Dec. 22, 2004 – Due to the holiday break, offices at Southeast Missouri State University will be closed Dec. 23 through Jan. 2.
Offices will close at 5 p.m. Dec. 22. The University will observe Dec. 23-24 and Dec. 30-31 as holidays. Southeast offices also will be closed Dec. 27-29 as energy conservation days.
Offices will reopen at 8 a.m. Jan. 3. Spring semester classes begin Jan. 18.
Holiday hours at the Student Recreation Center will be as follows: 5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 27-30. The Student Recreation Center will be closed Dec. 23-26 and Dec. 31-Jan. 2. The Student Recreation Center South is closed now through Jan. 10.
All Chartwells dining services operations will be closed Dec. 23-Jan. 2. The Skylight Terrace in the University Center will be open from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Jan. 3-7, with all other food service operations closed during this period. For information on Chartwells' hours from Jan. 10-17, visit http://www.chartwells-semo.com/Holiday%20Break%20Hours.htm. Chartwells will resume its regular business hours Jan. 18.


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A day in the life of the 2016 campaign: I read the news today, Oy Veh!
Posted on October 4, 2016 by Marc Jampole
Contemplating a day in the life of the current American presidential campaign is enough to make a sane person want to blow "his mind out in a car." You know, the race between a "lucky man who [never] made the grade" and an experienced, intelligent woman with enough great ideas to fill all the "holes in Blackburn, Lancashire."
All references to the Beatles aside, the most recent 24 hour slice of insanity is a reminder that we all should refrain from using the expression "a new low" until after November 8th.
Let's start with Donald Trump who after he "dragged a comb across" his head, made the completely unsubstantiated accusation that Hillary Clinton has fooled around on President Bill. First of all, there is absolutely no proof, not a shred of evidence, not a soupcon of rumor that Hillary has ever been anything but a completely faithful wife to her husband. Beyond that is the deeper question of why it should matter. And why should it? We know that Presidents F. Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Kennedy, G.W. Bush and Clinton all had affairs, and that Trump himself had affairs during both his first two marriages. Why is it anyone's business? How does it make a candidate less fit for office?
Perhaps the answer came from Rudy Guiliani, who on the very same day that Trumpty-Dumpty tried to paint an A on Hillary's forehead stated explicitly that being a woman was a flaw for a president. His exact words: "Don't you think a man who has this kind of economic genius is a lot better for the United States than a woman, and the only thing she's ever produced is a lot of work for the FBI checking out her emails." Note that Rudy, another man who cavorted publicly with a woman other than his wife, did not say "a woman who did such and such." No, he stopped the complete thought expressed in an independent clause with the word "woman." His statement, when parsed of its grammatical excrescences, reduces to "Don't you think a man is a lot better for the United States than a woman." It was so shocking an example of the misogyny animating much of the Trump campaign and the GOP agenda that, "Well, I just had to laugh."
But wait, it gets worse. I thought "I went into a dream" because Donald Trump could not have possibly have said to a group of veterans that soldiers and vets suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder are themselves to blame for a lack of character. But it wasn't a dream. Humpty-Dumpty's exact words: "When you talk about the mental health problems, when people come back from war and combat — and they see things that maybe a lot of the folks in this room have seen many times over and you're strong and you can handle it, but a lot of people can't handle it," Most commentators have focused on his heartless statement that "a lot of people can't handle it." Perhaps what's worse is his clueless patronizing of his audience by assuming that all of them can "handle it." Statistically speaking, the only way to make sure that a room full of vets contain no one suffering from PSTD is to set that as the criteria for entry. And even then, I'm certain that a sufferer would slip in because so many veterans find it hard to admit they need help for the nightmares, rage, depression and behavior disorders plaguing them. It was another instance of Trump talking to one group of people about "those other people" not like us. He paints an insulting and overly dire picture of the current status of African-Americans and claims a nonexistent threat of terrorism posed by immigrants in front of lily white groups. But this time it backfired. At a gathering of veterans, he almost assuredly insulted and shamed many of those present and made that "crowd of people turn away."
Finally was the news that the New York State attorney general issued an order preventing the Trump Foundation from soliciting funds in the state, the latest shoe to drop in the continuing scandal of a foundation that has done little but illegally use OPM (other people's money) to solve Trump's legal problems or buy him expensive geegaws.
Another major Trump scandal—his taking a tax write-off of nearly a billion dollars in 1995—continued to play out, with Trump surrogates claiming that the fact he lost all that money and then used it against future earnings was sheer genius. None point out that Trump's high living on the corporate nickel contributed to the great losses declared not only by him, but by the many vendors and investors who took a bath in his major bankruptcies. At least Hillary has the savvy to know, and point out, that Trump's losses came primarily in an industry—gambling—which at the time was minting money for everyone else.
The most absurd moment of this decidedly looking-glass day was when Neil Cavuto, a Fox News business guru and anchor needed an expert to help him discuss the significance of Trump's tax losses. Unable to find a reputable economist or tax expert willing to praise Trump for his genius, Neil engaged in batting Trump messages back and forth with a has-been, never-was actor with no business or academic creds named Scott Baio.
As a left-winger and ardent Hillary supporter, I should be overjoyed that the Trump campaign has perfected the knack of digging itself into a hole about four thousand times larger than Albert Hall.
But then….
I read the news today.
Oy Veh.
The mainstream news media continue to try to shore up Trump's campaign in many subtle ways. Take National Public Radio, which first interviewed an ardent Trump supporter and then interviewed a reluctant Clinton supporter. In other words, NPR chose to highlight the false narrative about the two campaigns that the mainstream news media created months ago out of pure phlogiston. There is plenty of enthusiasm about Hillary out there—about her programs, about her experience, and most certainly about the fact that she is the first woman major party nominee. Her party's leaders are unified as virtually never before. Money is pouring in from small and large donors. Her rallies are as boisterous as Trump's, although far from as rowdy. But the news media ignores all the evidence of Hillary-mania in favor of a false narrative that because it has been repeated so often has become the central story of her campaign.
Meanwhile, the New York Times, whose editorials claim to deplore the deplorable Trumpty-Dumpty, continue to provide subtle support to him in the news pages. Once again, Trump stories dominated: Five stories about the Donald and only one about Hillary. While it's true that several of the stories were negative, the Times still managed to help him in three ways:
It dedicated an entire story to Trump's vow to bolster U.S. cybersecurity defenses, mostly his typical bloviating about the problem and he will solve it, without going into many details, unless you consider creating a task force and asking for recommendations a plan. This article says nothing about Hillary's plans, but it does mention Trump's painful comments about PTSD sufferers deep into the story where almost no one would see it. Why didn't the comments get the headline or their own story?
The headline of the one Hillary story focuses on her reaction to the release of three pages from Trump's 1995 tax returns. This one Hillary story could have just as easily featured her renewed call yesterday to foster greater economic equality by raising the minimum wage, bolstering labor unions and offering tax incentives to companies that share profits with employees. The headline could also have touted Hillary's most recent endorser, LeBron James. But instead of presenting a candidate with views and plans, the Times turned Hillary into another bit player commenting on the foibles of the tragically comic white male protagonist, Donald Trump.
The Times front page story analyzing how detrimental to the economy it would be to unravel the North American Free Trade Agreement references Trump's opinions on the issue and not Hillary's. Anyone paying attention already knows that Hillary knows everything there is to know about NAFTA and its impact and Trump is badly misinformed except when he's telling pants-on-fire lies. President Obama's views are also noted in the article, so in a real sense, the Times is equating Trump with Obama. It couldn't be because they are both presidential, because Trump's not. Nor is Donald the leader of his party. That's Paul Ryan. Maybe it's because both Trump and our President are men? Subtle sexism or conflation of Trump with Obama?—whatever the reason, the result raises Trumpty-Dumpty's prestige and lowers Hillary's.
I wish I could say it was a dream or "I saw a film today," but it's the reality of the 2016 election campaign.
No wonder that, like more and more people, I find myself staring wide-eyed at the television, radio, newspaper, tablet or monitor and screaming "I'd love to turn you off."
One thought on "A day in the life of the 2016 campaign: I read the news today, Oy Veh!"
J N says:

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Nicola Sturgeon urged to step in to stop transfer of another transgender prisoner
'Outlander promotes a deeply distorted view of Gaelic life and culture - and the damage is done' - Deborah Dennison
Scottish Government urged to adopt tax band system
Creating new income tax bands may be a better way for the Scottish Government to raise its revenues than simply increasing the levy on top earners, an economics expert has suggested.
By The Newsroom
4th Nov 2016, 1:30pm
Updated 16th Nov 2016, 4:24pm
Nicola Sturgeon has already ruled increasing the highest rate of income tax. Picture: AFP
Professor David Bell cautioned against raising the top rate of income tax to 50p - as Scottish Labour proposes to fund public services - saying research indicates a previous tax hike of this scale had "no effect on revenues".
He suggested opting for a more "Scandinavian solution", where additional tax bands are created between the current 20p basic rate and the higher 40p rate, could generate more money for Holyrood.
He raised the possibility as he gave evidence to MSPs on the Finance Committee, warning that the economy could be "in for a difficult period where hard choices are going to have to be made" over the coming years.
Income tax may double for Scots after independence - Gordon Brown
Prof Bell, from Stirling University, said the "sudden and dramatic" depreciation in the value of Sterling in the wake of the Brexit vote "is likely to lead to a rapid rise in inflation".
He continued: "This will almost certainly lead to a decline in real income since wages are unlikely to keep up with that rate of increase in prices, and that is likely to lead to a slowdown in the economy."
While he said the UK economy is currently "performing quite well", he added that tax revenues "are not performing as well as might be expected given the rate of growth in the economy".
Prof Bell warned the country could be "entering a somewhat difficult and uncertain period where the sources of growth are not obvious".
With Holyrood to be responsible for setting income tax rates and bands from April 2017, he said Scottish Government ministers would effectively control around 40% of the total tax revenue generated north of the border.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has already ruled out increasing the highest rate of income tax, applied only to those earning more than £150,000 a year, from 45p to 50p in 2017-18
Prof Bell said : "One has to be very careful about the use of these powers.
"Certainly one could introduce new bands and spread the costs of income tax somewhat more down the income distribution, that's really the Scandinavian solution to having high provision of public services, it's not that you have very high top rates, it's more that you have more progressive rates because you introduce intermediate bands to income tax.
"It would certainly be open to the Scottish Government to introduce new bands, there's no question it could do that and could generate additional revenues from so doing."
Professor David Heald, an expert in public sector accounting from the University of Glasgow, told the MSPs: "I've long thought that the jump from 20% income tax rate to 40% income tax rate was actually too abrupt."
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Home History Discover Nikkei 'Be Bold:' The Artistry of 99-Year Old Kibei Nisei Artist Koho Yamamoto
'Be Bold:' The Artistry of 99-Year Old Kibei Nisei Artist Koho Yamamoto
Koho School of Sumi-E, New York City, c. 1970s, COTA. Photo: Paul Merino.
By Tamiko Nimura, For the North American Post
Was I looking at a pile of charred kindling, a set of raven's wings or feathers?
Untitled nd Ink on paper 37 ¾ x 73 ⅜ in Collection of the artist Photo Nicholas Knight © Masako Koho Yamamoto
"I'm interviewing this 99-year old Kibei Nisei artist, Koho Yamamoto," I wrote on my social media page, with a link to her 2021 exhibit. "Anyone heard of her?"
Koho School of Sumi E
New York City c 1970s Photos
Courtesy of the artist COTA
I'd been sent a press kit to Yamamoto's show, "Under A Dark Moon" at New York City's Noguchi Museum, and was immediately struck by her powerfully evocative sumi-e paintings. Her life story and artistic path reminded me of Kibei-Nisei Tacoma artist Fumiko Kimura, whom I wrote about last year for Discover Nikkei.
Based in Seattle, Mayumi Tsutakawa was one of the first to respond. Mayumi is a Japanese-American freelance arts writer focused on communities of color.
"The fact that we do not know about her," she wrote, "underscores the distance between [East] Coast and [West] Coast JAs, due to immigration patterns, escape from the camps, and lack of API art writing."
Mayumi is working on a project focused on Kibei-Nisei artists.
And indeed, this omission based on distance seems to be relevant for Koho Yamamoto, or "Koho Sensei" as she's more commonly known. Yamamoto has exhibited in galleries in New York City. For decades, she taught sumi-e painting at her art school between Soho and Greenwich, which she opened in 1973 and only just closed in 2010, though she continues to teach at her small New York apartment.
"I come from a family of teachers," she says over an April 2021 Zoom interview, "and well, it's a good way to make a living."
Koho Yamamoto
New York City c 1948 and 2016
Photos COTA
When her school closed, it was covered in The New York Times. At 96, she modeled for the designer clothing line Frank DeBourge (frankdebourge.com/pages/koho-yamamoto).
Many of Yamamoto's students and fans asked for a show of her own work, which is now on exhibit at the Noguchi Museum. The ten paintings, all untitled, are from the artist's collection.
Dakin Hart, Senior Curator for the Noguchi Museum, writes that Yamamoto's work "combines a mastery of the techniques and traditions of sumi-e with an atomic era sensibility, the brash bravura of postwar abstraction, and a disdain for the conventions of restraint her own teaching represents."
Chiura Obata seated wearing suit and tie and family visiting New York in 1949 Yamamoto is in the center Photo COTA
But Yamamoto has roots which extend to the West Coast and Japan as well. Born in Alviso, [San Jose], California, the daughter of a teacher and a calligrapher, she spent her early childhood years (from ages four to nine) at a temple in Japan. They lived with an aunt whose husband was a priest at the temple. When she was four years old, her mother passed away.
The artist at her exhibition Koho Yamamoto Under a Dark Moon The Noguchi Museum NY March 10May 23 2021 noguchiorgmuseumexhibitionsviewkoho yamamoto under a dark moon
Photo Randy Duchaine © Masako Koho Yamamoto
"She was a graduate of a teachers' college," Yamamoto says proudly.
Her father, a poet and calligrapher, encouraged her to pursue art. But her interest in art really came alive in camp.
"We had a lot of time," she says now.
Yamamoto Detention Camp No 1 1945 Image COTA
At the Tanforan Art School, near San Francisco, she studied oil painting with artist George Hibi, and sumi-e painting with renowned artist and professor Chiura Obata. The classes were small, she remembers, about six or seven students. At first, they painted on old newspapers, and then later, on rice paper with supplies obtained or donated from outside. She remembers Hibi as "very nice," and Obata as "full of life."
Yamamoto quickly became a special student of Obata's, becoming one of several to receive a special artist name from him, "Koho." In the tradition of sumi-e masters, Obata bestowed a version of his name on two or three of his most proficient students. Obata's name means "thousand harbors," and "Koho" means "red harbor."
"It was an honor," says Yamamoto.
At the Topaz concentration camp, she continued to study with him until her family was transferred to Tule Lake in 1943.
After Yamamoto and her family were released from Tule Lake, she moved to New York City. She was active in the Art Students League where she followed the rise of Abstract Expressionism.
She reached out to Isamu Noguchi, who called her paintings "exceptionally beautiful."
Yamamoto gives a demonstration for students in New York City Photo George Malave The Village Voice 1975 Photo COTA
She married, divorced, and continued to paint, exhibiting in solo shows and group shows.
As a teacher, Yamamoto is well-known and beloved.
She encourages students to empty their minds when painting, to "become nothingness."
How do we accomplish this?
"You don't think of anything. Just calm your mind and become nothingness and… it takes a little training," she chuckles.
"With sumi-e, I love the fact that painting can be potentially made up of one perfect brush-stroke," writes Jaya Duvvuri, a student of Yamamoto's since 2008. "I have seen this happen with Sensei over the course of the years she taught and demonstrated to her students. I am also drawn to the meditative quality of it in trying to become the object that you paint, making a brushstroke and not going over it again—the way sensei taught us. Sensei likes to say, 'when painting bamboo, be the bamboo.'"
"Sensei is a wonderful teacher, very attentive, and encouraging," Duvvuri continues. "She is known for her abstract style, but she has done outstanding representational artwork as well. Sensei teaches in the traditional way–first bamboo, then pine, plum, chrysanthemum, and orchid as these make up the keystrokes of [the] sumi-e style of painting. Her critique is always impeccable, and she is very generous with sharing her wealth of knowledge in the medium. Sensei is also wonderful company—she serves green tea and cookies during her classes with traditional Japanese music playing in the background, and she regales us with stories about her camp life and numerous anecdotes from her long, eventful life. Her story is an inspiration—that someone can come out of the mud blooming like a lotus."
It's understandably difficult for Yamamoto to recall her early childhood years, but Yamamoto's eyes light up when asked about teaching her students.
"Just become one with your painting and don't think about other things," she advises. "Just become what you are painting. Just dive into it. Don't think about it too much. And be bold. You can't be scared. You have to make mistakes."
Editor's notes. A Kibei Nisei was born in the US, but returned to Japan for a Japanese upbringing and education. Most returned to the US as young adults. A common path for early Nisei women, the stories of Kibei Nisei have not been well covered, in part because they were women, and in part because many forgot much of their English in the process. Mayumi Tsutakawa's mother, Ayame Tsutakawa, was also a Kibei Nisei. Through her, much of the artistic talent of the family similarly flowed, including that to musician/columnist Deems Tsutakawa.
The Noguchi Museum was designed and created by sculptor and landscape architect Isamu Noguchi. His international body of work includes "Black Sun," the sculpted black marble "donut" in Seattle's Volunteer Park (1969).
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http://www.discovernikkei.org/en/
Discover Nikkei is a community website about Nikkei identity, history and experiences. The goal of this project is to provide an inviting space for the community to share, explore, and connect with each other through diverse Nikkei experiences, culture, and history. The DiscoverNikkei.org site is a cornerstone program of the Nikkei Legacy Project, a project of the Japanese American National Museum, with major funding by The Nippon Foundation.
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Ketchikan Hatchery: Black Bears Fishing
After this photo was taken, mother bear lost one of her cubs in a hatchery tank at the Ketchikan Hatchery. Mama bear was bawling something fierce says the photographer. After a couple of minutes, mother bear managed to get her cub out of the tank as her second cub looks on. Every one observing the rescue of the cub clapped after mother bear saved her cub.
To see a photo of the cub rescue, click here.
Front Page Photo By SUSAN HOYT
Ketchikan: Grant Funding Puts Lifesaving Equipment at the Port of Ketchikan and in KPD Cruisers - As part of The Alaska Code Blue Project, the Ketchikan Fire Department has been awarded a grant from Southeast Region Emergency Medical Services "SEREMS" that will place two (2) Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) on the Port-of-Ketchikan and three (3) AEDs in Ketchikan Police Department vehicles. One additional AED, with more advanced features, will be placed in a Ketchikan Fire Department Incident Management vehicle.
Police Chief Ed Talik (3rd from Left), Nick Burns, Natalie White, Terry Roberts, and Mike Moyer brief the media Thursday on the Code Blue project.
Photo courtesy KFD
The cost of the AEDs was about $10,000, with the USDA picking up 55%, the State of Alaska contributing $2000, and the remainder being paid by the city of Ketchikan Fire Department, about $2,500. - More...
Fish Factor: Alaska's most dangerous fishery isn't Bering Sea crabbing By LAINE WELCH - Surprise! It turns out that salmon fishing is the most dangerous fishery in Alaska and crabbing in the Bering Sea is the safest.
That is just one of the findings of a new report by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, which tracked U.S. fishing deaths from 2000 through 2009. The report is the first ever to explore how hazards and risk factors differ among fisheries and locations.
Some findings: During 2000-2009, 504 commercial fishing deaths occurred in the United States The Alaska region had the highest number of deaths at 133 (26%), followed by the Northeast at 124(25%), the Gulf of Mexico at 116 (23%), West Coast at 83 (16%), and the Mid- and South Atlantic (41, 8%). A total of 491 (97%) of those killed were male, with an average age of 41 years (range: 10--86 years).
Of the total number of deaths, 261 (52%) occurred after a vessel disaster, 155 occurred when a person fell overboard (31%), and 51 (10%) resulted from an injury onboard. The remaining 37 deaths occurred while diving or on shore. Among the 155 fishermen who died from falling overboard, none was wearing a personal flotation device (PFD).
The 261 deaths that resulted from a vessel disaster occurred in 148 separate incidents. Of these, 37 (28%) were initiated by flooding, 24 (18%) by vessel instability, and 23 (18%) by being struck by a large wave. Severe weather conditions contributed to 61% of the 148 fatal vessel disasters. - More...
Southeast Alaska: Necropsy to be performed on deceased whale discovered on bow of cruise ship - Wednesday morning at about 8 a.m., Princess Cruises' Sapphire Princess discovered a whale on top of the ship's bulbous bow, the part of the bow that goes through the water. The Sapphire Princess, enroute from Ketchikan to Juneau, was south of Juneau near Tracy Arm at the time the whale was discovered.
Necropsy to be performed on deceased whale discovered on bow of cruise ship. NOAA officials say from photos, the whale appears to be a juvenile humpback.
The Sapphire Princess notified the U.S. Coast Guard, who contacted NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service in Juneau. Both the Coast Guard and NOAA's enforcement and protected resources divisions responded to the incident. - More...
Alaska: 2010 ALASKA FARM FAMILY OF THE YEAR ANNOUNCED - The Pyrah Family of Palmer has been selected the 2010 Farm Family of the Year by the Alaska agricultural community. The Palmer family will be honored at the Alaska State Fair Board of Director's reception on opening day of the Fair, Thursday August 26th, 2010.
Ted and Katie Pyrah began farming 277-acres in the shadow of Pioneer Peak in 1979. They originally ran the farm for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). The LDS Church discontinued the farm in 1988 and the Pyrahs began leasing the farmland. They continued to operate under the U-Pick model used at the LDS farm, and though they've tried other ways of selling produce, they now sell their 30 varieties of vegetables strictly through U-Pick.
As the Pyrah's five children grew, each left to attend college out of state, because their father, himself having earned several degrees, stressed the importance of education. Eventually, three of the five children returned. In 2007, Ted and Katie left the farm to go to Kirtland, Ohio for a year and a half to serve as missionaries for the LDS church. Their daughter Janet and her husband Joe stepped up to keep the business afloat. Later, their youngest son Lucas came to join his sister and work as a farm mechanic. Since then, the Pyrah parents have returned and the family decided to run the farm as a big group.
In addition to U-Pick vegetables, the Pyrahs also grow sod, hay, and are experimenting with trees. "We do what we can to diversify as technology evolves," Janet Dinwiddie said. - More...
DAVE KIFFER: Unplugged! - The most horrendous thing happened to me other night.
In fact, I am still so appalled by it that I can barely calm myself to type this. It was truly awful and I was left completely unable to cope with the shock of it.
I went to log onto FACEBOOK and it wouldn't let me. It was undergoing "site maintenance" and suggested I try back in a "few hours."
It was like finding yourself adrift in the North Pacific, thousands of miles from Nowhere, without a hope of rescue. Talk about "isolation."
I was stunned. Since "joining" FACEBOOK a few months ago, I have never been "off" for even a few hours.
Naturally, I frantically emailed a friend.
"Have you ever been off FACEBOOK?"
"Absolutely not," she fingered back, a short time later, acting as though I had asked her an absurd question like "had she ever voted for a Democrat."
"Neither have I," I replied.
And that is absolutely true. I swear it on the bible of the mother of Dustin Moskovitz.
I have spent, on average 17.6 hours a day posting, reposting, replying to posting, replying to reposting and replying to replying. The other 6.4 hours, I sleep, but I leave my FACEBOOK screen on just in case someone else is reposting to my replying. (and yes, I sleep in my chair at my desk in front of my computer, why waste time go back and forth to a bed, that is so 20th Century!)
There is absolutely nothing else that I do any day other than FACEBOOK. I mean, really, what else matters?
In fact, I have been so absorbed with FACEBOOK that I can't even remember what it was like to not spend 17.6 hours a day in concert with my fellow "BOOK people."
You could just as soon ask me what it felt like to be born as what my life was like before FB. I kid you not. I don't remember. WTH! OMG!
Natch, I immediately began to overflow with the "chat" that endlessly burbles up inside me and demands FACEBOOK as its outlet. Without my "connection" I had no way to "share" it.
Would I swell up like character in Willy Wonka that turns into a giant blueberry? Would I have to be put inside a giant social network juicer? Or worse, sign on to MySpace?
Who could I brag to about how clean my house was or how I was whipping up chateaubriand for a lite snack?
Who could I immediately share the coolest new link of singing and dancing platypuses with? - More...
The Whitecliff factor By Rodney Dial - Mr. Thompson, I agree with your letter and share your frustration with the way the Whitecliff project has progressed. Here is my take on the issue as I see it over the last several years: - More...
Still want to know... Still no Answers. By Marilyn Blair - It's nice to see that a shareholder would take all that time to go to Cape Fox Corporation (CFC) and research years of archives to learn so much about my time with CFC and things that transpired during my time as a board member of Cape Fox. But, Eric, you give one board member way too much credit! You make it seem as if I brought all those proposals to the board when I didn't. LOL! Sorry, just couldn't help but find it all so humorous. Really, IF I was so powerful, believe me, all Cape Fox Shareholders would be rich right now! - More...
Service Ketchikan with USCIS Office By Jose S Garcia - It is lamentable to note that Legitimate Permanent Residents (LPRs) takes the cudgel in spending their own money to go to Juneau to avail of the applications for US Citizenship (N400). - More...
Amnesty won't work: Secure our borders By Clarence E. Hill - Albert Einstein defined insanity as "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - More...
RE: Drainage (and the purpose of government); and bear stuff too By Vanessa Nowland - I bet if SitNews had a "like" button similar to Facebook's there would be a lot of "thumbs up" for Mr. Hofeling's opinion letter. I recall getting the exact same response from the city when we lived on Ketchikan Lakes Road. It wasn't until my husband fell on the glacier that covered our road, injuring his ribs and the ambulance almost took out a utility pole trying to get to us that they started paying any attention. - More...
Thankful By Joey Tillson - A while ago, I posted a letter on SitNews stressing the importance of community and how this is my home. The many events over the course of a year have put many of us all in stressful, hurtful times. But I will tell you and stress it again, what I love about this town is the sense of community you will NOT find anywhere else. No matter what walk of life each of us has stumbled into, we are still community. - More...
Skate Park By Connie Williams - Is the Borough experiencing the same song and dance about a skate park as it did in 1997-1998? Lots of folks, talking to assembly members and parks and recreation staff about the importance of supporting the youth and giving them something to do. Government officials were hearing it in the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's. The problem I saw was you had many folks in favor of the project, but in reality, only a few, by comparison actually utilized the facility for what it was intended. - More...
SitNews By Lou Ann Richardson - I just wanted to send out a couple thank you's. First to Sitnews editor Mary Kauffman for her dedication and committment to keeping Sitnews current and relevant. Thank you Mary, we know it's often challenging. Second, to the various photographers who take the time to find those special moments in this grand place and then share them with all of us here on Sitnews. I always look forward to seeing what the front page has in store from day to day. - More...
RE: Bailey Bay Hot Springs By Linda Beaupre - In regards to Bailey Bay Hot Springs, my husband and I tried to hike up to the hot springs last summer. Unfortunately the trail we found was in a sorry state of disrepair. The rope crossing the creek was frayed and loose (and dangerous!) and a large landslide had taken out the entire trail right after the waterfall, ending our journey since we had no way of circumventing the landslide. Large parts of the trail was nothing more than mud pits. - More...
Back to old tricks. By Glen Thompson - I haven't written Sitnews in a while but the issue is simply too important to let slip by. When I was elected to the Assembly, the Borough finances were in shambles. We had less than $1 million in General Fund reserves, we had a Schoenbar project that was in serious trouble and under water by several million dollars. Thank heaven we had a Land Trust Fund with a few million savings in it that we could borrow to fill the gap. Had the Legislature not come through and reimbursed us to the tune of $6 million, we would be in a fine pickle still! Our mill rate was approaching 7 and we were having trouble funding basic services and schools. - More...
Wednesday - July 28, 2010
Drainage (and the purpose of government) By Dustin Hofeling - Living in a rain forest, drainage is a problem we all have to face sooner or later. I live on Deer Mountain Court, which is a road that has been forever plagued by drainage problems. I plan to put to fix the drainage issue on my property - what home owner wouldn't want to do this? But it will do no good unless the city fixes the drainage issue on the street that they built and paved. - More...
Bailey Bay Hot Springs Should Remain Public By Mike Sallee - Many of the people in the Ketchikan area have enjoyed Bailey Bay Hot Springs - known to some as Shelokum Hot Springs. It is a picturesque and remote hot springs nestled next to excellent trout fishing on Lake Shelokum, just north of Bell Island Hot Springs. - More...
What Happened to our SkatePark? By Bobbie McCreary - Monday night I appeared in front of the Borough Assembly during public comments. I passed out a letter from Taira Wilhelm (Kayhi grad 2008) along with the recent Sitnews letters. I explained I would take only a little of their time as this was a special meeting to address the White Cliff building. I explained that day as I left the Youth Center building project on Park Avenue and drove up Schoenbar towards the bypass I passed by Walker Field. I looked at the fenced lot with a truck and a few pieces of miscellaneous equipment in it and said (out loud, actually!) WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO OUR SKATEPARK? - More...
Support Bill Walker for Governor By Radford, Harrington, Fultz, Carson, Radford, Bakk, Cooke - We listened to gubernatorial candidate Samuels on the radio this week. Ralph talked about the decline of oil output, which provides 90% of our State income, but we didn't hear any plan to replenish this lost revenue. He would like to see more oil drilling in Alaska. Wouldn't we all, but does anyone seriously think we can count on that to pay for our State government in the near future? He mentioned cutting State spending, but we are talking about 90% of our income disappearing! He supports a natural gas bullet line which he says will provide cheap energy to Alaskans, but the figures all show that a gasline carrying only the small amount Alaskans would use would be far too expensive to provide low cost fuel. Also, there are no permits, rights of way or environmental studies done for a bullet line, which puts construction ten years in the future. - More...
Alaska Lifeline: Walker for Governor By Barb Lander - Reality Check! Think oil and gas issued aren t important to us in SE Alaska? Oil production is approaching a critical low that will mark the end of the pipelines viability. No oil flowing through the pipeline no oil revenue. The massive cuts in services AND new taxes needed to keep this vast state even barely functioning are staggering. Alaskan life as we know it is about over! - More...
Faces of the Sea By Judith Green - We in South East communities are used to artists giving us photos, drawings, paintings, and writings based on the culture of this great land. - More...
Japanese Knotweed By Jane Collins - I have had this awful weed behind my shoe shop here in Northampton, UK for the last 4-5 years if not longer. It will NOT go away, despite everything I try to do. We are now using a powerful chemical that my husband uses on his farm to see if does the trick so it is just a matter of waiting to see the result. - More...
Japanese Knotweed Removal By Samantha Quinn - I was reading the letters regarding the Japanese knotweed problem some are having and found this information on Wikipedia.com on it's removal. I hope this helps! - More...
RE: Cape Fox Corp. Lack of Respect for Shareholders By Eric Trout - TO CAPE FOX SHAREHOLDERS: Marilyn Blair's letter is just another attempt to twist the issues while protecting her real personal interests. We all know there are two types of politicians, the ones who tell the truth and fight for what's right, the other politicians who twist the issues to benefit their own personal interests. Marilyn has been in the Cape Fox Board room for over 15 years I would say she has a history and experience in twisting issues. - More...
Water Street Sidewalks By Chris Elliott - We have a one-way tunnel with a road going the other way around it. Now we have parallel sidewalks on Water Street. - More...
Skateboard Park By Norm Noggle - I would like to second Vicky's suggestion to develop a skateboard park in Ketchikan. I agree that the existing half pipe at the rec center is very limited in developing skateboard riding skills. I would suggest that if there are a solid number of kids who want a qulaity skateboard park, then they need to organize (with adult assistance) and begin identifying the assets and barriers involved in the development of such a site. Some of the concerns that need to be addressed include: - More...
Re: Skate Park By Keith Woodard - Although I haven't really followed the skate park issue, I can sympathize with you Vicky. I know what it was like growing up as a bored teenager in this town with seemingly little to do. And I'm really saddened that as much community spirit this town has and as much as people would like to help the youth here, there still hasn't been a new skate park built among other things. - More...
RE: Skate park By Lexie Jones - I'm a 24-year-old who thinks we shouldn't always be looking for handouts! - More...
Doing Business without insurance By Terry Miles - Recently, I took my motorcycle, that happens to be a custom chopper into a local "Detail" shop here in the Ketchikan area, to have it cleaned and detailed. The bike is worth about $75k... it's a custom. - More...
Concerned about Japanese Knotweed By Melinda Stewart - Browsing Sitnews this morning I saw the letter posted on Rotary Beach. Reading the description and looking at pictures online of knotweed, it is EXACTLY what I have growing in my yard!! - More...
Goodbye, Don & Lois Kralis By Bill Sullivan - I was saddened to read of the passing of Don and Lois Kralis. They will be missed. - More...
Adhere To Immigration Laws By Donald A. Moskowitz - The federal government, working with the border states, should provide the personnel and resources to secure our borders. - More...


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Media Contact: Brian Spector
bspector@ppines.com
City of Pembroke Pines Gathered to Honor United States Military at Memorial Day Observance Ceremony
Pembroke Pines, FL – (May 28, 2019) The City of Pembroke Pines residents, guests and friends came together to honor United States Military Veterans, both living and deceased, at the Annual Memorial Day Observance Ceremony on Monday, May 27, 2019 at Donnith H. Fletcher Park located at 7900 Johnson Street in Pembroke Pines.
The two hour program included the Presentation of Colors by the City of Pembroke Pines Police and Fire Department Honor Guards, patriotic music, words from U.S. Army Sergeant Major Manuel Blas and comments from Pembroke Pines Mayor Frank C. Ortis, community leaders and City Officials. A solemn wreath placing ceremony to honor and pay tribute to veterans followed.
Memorial Day is a special day set aside to honor and remember all men and women who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day was officially declared a National holiday on May 5, 1868 by General John Logan, National Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. The Day is now honored every year on the last Monday of the month of May.
For the most up to date special event information, please call The City of Pembroke Pines Special Events Division at 954-392-2116 or visit www.ppines.com/specialevents.
The community is encouraged to learn more about the City of Pembroke Pines' latest events by subscribing to Pines Media on YouTube, reading the city's newspaper City Connect, checking the City's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/cityofpembrokepines, and accessing Twitter or Instagram using @cityofppines. Residents with Comcast can view Pembroke Pines Media programming on Channel 78, while residents with AT&T U-Verse can view programming on Channel 99 and click on Pembroke Pines TV. Jpegs available for media upon request.
Copyright © 2016 City of Pembroke Pines. All Rights Reserved.
City Hall 601 City Center Way, Pembroke Pines, FL 33025


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Home › Where are they now? › D › Anna Daniels
Journalist and Author of Girl in Between
Journalism (Major in Creative Writing) Graduated 2002.
First job
My first job after graduation was producing the Mornings program for ABC Capricornia, based in Rockhampton.
Anna Daniels has enjoyed great success as a comedic storyteller since kicking off her career by winning the ABC's 'Comedy Segment of the Year Award' with Michelle Crowther for an interview with Russell Crowe*. She then went on to co-create the ABC's first online sketch comedy series 'Tough at the Top' with comedian and 'Edge of the Bush' star, Anne Edmonds. For several years Anna wrote and presented funny, upbeat stories for The Project, winning over viewers with her warm, silly, endearing style.
Having grown up in Rockhampton, she particularly champions the stories and characters of rural and regional Australia with affection and humour. As well as The Project, Anna has written, presented and/or produced radio, TV and online content for Queensland Weekender on Channel 7, Landline on ABC TV, Red Symons' Breakfast Show for ABC Radio Melbourne, ABC Radio Brisbane and the BBC One series, 'John Bishop's Australia'.
In 2016, Anna's debut novel, Girl in Between, was shortlisted for The Vogel Literary Award, and was published in 2017 with Allen & Unwin. A romantic-comedy set in Rockhampton, London and Sydney, Girl in Between became one of Australia's highest selling debut novels of 2017. It has also been produced into an audiobook, and will be published in Germany in 2018.
For further info about Anna, see annamdaniels.com
*Listen to the audio:
Rockin' with Russ – the inside story!


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Q: Better way to update feed on FB with PHP SDK I am a novice with the Facebook API. I have read so many tutorials and I am still confused.I find that I can post to the feed with API methods like this:
$data = array("message" => "Hello World!");
$status = $fb->api("/me/feed", "POST", $data);

and that is correct, second way is using cURL, something like this:
CURLOPT_URL => $url,
CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS => $params,
CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER => false,
CURLOPT_VERBOSE

Which way is better?

A: Unless there is a valid reason not to use the facebook SDK, the first method you posted is the better one.

A: This is a subjective question.
While using curl may seems good way (with more control on what's going on) I personally prefer and recommend to use PHP-SDK for obvious reasons:

*

*Officially supported

*Most changes to API will be transparent to you with update to SDK

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Learn about our Summer Camps!
St. Stephen's Episcopal School is a co-ed boarding school for grades 8-12, and day school for grades 6-12. St. Stephen's is of the Diocese of Texas, in Austin, Texas. St. Stephen's is a caring, diverse community, welcoming all faiths and grounded in the Christian tradition. We nurture moral growth, and value the potential and dignity of every human being. We challenge motivated students to live intelligently, creatively and humanely as contributing members of society. We develop the whole person by providing rigorous academic preparation, stimulating physical activities, and rich opportunities in the fine arts.


The Methodist Medical Center Foundation and the Hospitality Houses are adding a third Hospitality House near Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge.
The Hospitality Houses are located just minutes from MMC, and they primarily serve patients and families visiting for cancer care, wound care, intensive care, cardiac critical care, or certain short stays related to specific tests and procedures. There are no charges for guests staying at the Hospitality Houses. All costs are covered by charitable contributions raised through annual fundraising events and by food and related necessities donated by caring individuals, area churches, civic clubs, and businesses, a press release said.


Join us in our journey to explore our favorite moments, spells, and sisters through Charmed: Box of Shadows. Each box you receive will include at least one item created in collaboration with another small business run by women.
Charmed is... women's empowerment, sisterhood, and the fight for everything good in this world. We hope to invoke the Power of Three and remind our community how powerful they are, both as individuals, and as a group.
Welcome, Charmed One. We can't wait to meet you.
Charmed: Box of Shadows is curated by Rose and Jenny, the team behind FanMail.
FanMail was a fantasy dreamed up by two fangirls (and one dad). In late 2014, the idea for a subscription box that featured fandom items created by fangirls was born. After months of planning, we sold out in the first week, and we shipped the first FanMail boxes out in June 2015.
In the years since, FanMail has supported more than 100 different small businesses run by women/non-binary/gender non-conforming folx. We've created more than 200 unique fandom items and shipped thousands of boxes to fangirls around the world. All of this is a testament to YOU. Our community has chosen to invest in small businesses and to help make our dream to support other creators come true.
We are a family-owned small business; our home base is Salem, New Hampshire. FanMail would not exist without the support of many family members and friends (all of whom have helped us pack and label boxes!), our community, and fellow fangirls.


Morland Parish Council voted recently to pursue the development of a Neighbourhood Plan.
Such plans have been around for a while, they are broadly a document designed to identify aspects of planning for the economic health and wellbeing of villages and towns. Their specific function is around housing needs, so identifying land and landowners willing perhaps to consider their plot as a designated area for future development is paramount.
In addition to this, other aspects of village life are considered, for example, landscape protection, business support and maximising the general amenity of Morland for residents and tourists alike.
There is government funding available to help in the production of the plan and this covers the cost of employing an experienced author. If we do not do our own neighbourhood plan, it is possible that development could be imposed on the village, this is the main reason the Parish Council has decided to take on this substantial project.


The Client Assessment Form is a way for us to get to know you, your lifestyle and your specific goals as a client.
Please provide your email address so your response can be sent back to you. If you already submitted the form and need to change it or need information from it, please search for "forms-receipts-noreply@google.com" in your email for your response.
Please save your before photos and measurements to compare results at the end of the program. Also be sure to use the #FASTerWaytoFatLoss program hashtag on your Instagram photos so we can easily find and support you!


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Tag: Portland Trail Blazers
WATCH: Enes Kanter made kid at his basketball camp cover up Stephen Curry jersey
NBA Jesse Reed - May 26, 2019
It's safe to say Portland Trail Blazers star Enes Kanter has no room in his life for people who adore Stephen Curry and the Golden...
8 most underrated pending NBA free agents
NBA Vincent Frank - May 26, 2019
The NBA Playoffs will soon give in to what promises to be an event filled offseason headlined by one of the best free-agent classes in...
Blazers sign GM Neil Olshey to extension, per report
After receiving some interest from the Washington Wizards, Portland Trail Blazers President of Basketball Operations and general manager Neil Olshey has agreed to an extension...
Five moves the Blazers must make to overtake the Warriors
Columns Vincent Frank - May 21, 2019
It became readily apparent during their four-game series sweep at the hands of the Golden State Warriors that the Portland Trail Blazers are not close...
Top takeaways from Warriors' series-clinching overtime win over Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers needed a win to stay alive in the Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors in Game 4. They did...
WATCH: Stephen Curry's remarkable postseason free throw streak finally ends
NBA Michael Dixon - May 20, 2019
Stephen Curry hadn't missed a free throw in the fourth quarter or overtime of a postseason game in nearly four years. That streak ended on...
WATCH: Damian Lillard completely embarrasses defender with ankle-breaking move
Damian Lillard put a devastating move on Alfonzo McKinnie in the third quarter of Game 4 between the Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers.
WATCH: Blazers' Meyers Leonard rejected by rim on dunk attempt
Meyers Leonard has been a big spark for the Portland Trail Blazers early in Game 4, but he was also the featured player in in...
Burning questions for Warriors-Blazers Game 4
The Portland Trail Blazers have one final chance to beat the Golden State Warriors, who enter Game 4 Monday night ahead 3-0 in the Western...
Winners and losers from Warriors Game 3 comeback vs Blazers
It didn't start out too grand for the two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors Saturday night. Playing in front of a boisterous home crowd, the...
Kevin Durant's injury more serious than Warriors initially thought
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr took to the podium Thursday night following his team's thrilling Game 2 win over the Portland Trail Blazers....
Winners and losers from Blazers-Warriors Game 2
With Kevin Durant having already been ruled out for the next two games of the Western Conference Finals, Game 2 between the Golden State Warriors...
Warriors rule Kevin Durant out for Game 3 and 4 of WCF Finals
The Golden State Warriors and general manager Bob Myers just broke some relatively big news ahead of Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.
WATCH: CJ McCollum meets Twitter heckler Jennifer on live TV
In the normally intense cauldron that is the NBA Playoffs, CJ McCollum and one of his famed hecklers provided some levity prior to Game 2...
Seth Curry skipped out on family dinner ahead of Game 1
For the most part, it's been a fun sibling rivalry between Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry and Seth Curry of the Portland Trail Blazers....
Bold predictions for Blazers-Warriors Game 2
The Golden State Warriors are up 1-0 in the Western Conference Finals over the Portland Trail Blazers heading into Game 2, which takes place Thursday...
Blazers' Damian Lillard dealing with sore hamstring
Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers were blown out of the building at Oracle against the Golden State Warriors Tuesday night.
The Splash Brothers, and other takeaways from Blazers-Warriors Game 1
Even with Kevin Durant still sidelined to injury, the two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors took care of business Tuesday evening.
LOOK: Damian Lillard reps Oakland ahead of Game 1
Damian Lillard is the enemy on Tuesday night as his Portland Trail Blazers take on the Golden State Warriors, but he's making sure everyone remembers...
The Portland Trail Blazers and Golden State Warriors made it to the Western Conference Finals, and Game 1 takes place Tuesday night.
Top takeaways from Blazers-Nuggets Game 7
All the chips were pushed to the middle of the table Sunday in a win-or-go-home Game 7 between the Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets....
Rodney Hood exits Game 7 with apparent knee injury
Rodney Hood was forced off the court with an apparent knee injury with just over five minutes remaining in Game 7 of the Western Conference...
Bold Predictions for Blazers-Nuggets Game 7
NBA Matt Johnson - May 11, 2019
NBA fans will be treated to an exciting double-header of thrilling Game 7 drama on Sunday and it all starts with a divisional clash between...
Takeaways from Nuggets-Blazers Game 6
NBA Matt Johnson - May 9, 2019
On a night when the Philadelphia 76ers found themselves in a must-win situation at home and delivered, the Portland Trail Blazers followed the same script...
10 breakout CFB programs for 2019 season
Matt Johnson - July 15, 2019
10 NFL rookies set to disappoint this season


We have too much lawn to cut, so we let portions of it grow…and grow. After several season of only cutting our lawn once per year, we are getting some cool plants coming in, all on their own. Rudbeckia hirta (native Black Eyed Susan) has moved in, and will hopefully keep reseeding and spreading. Crown Vetch, an invasive, though attractive species has also moved in. Multiflora Rose and Russian Olive are removed as soon they are seen growing. Yellow Toadflax, another invasive, is sparse around the edges. Queen Anne's Lace, New England Aster and Blue Eyed Grass have also taken hold.


Private Investigator Essex give a wide range of services for the wide range of individuals in Sumners. Private Investigator Essex provides the high skilled professional investigator and with successful solutions from cheating partners to debt recovery in Sumners, Temple Fields, The High, Tye Green or Beacon Hill.
The most common services that clients in Sumners come to Private Investigator Essex for are Surveillance, Polygraph Tests, and Detective Work among others. The team at Private Investigator Essex offers a wide range of investigations from corporate to matrimonial in Sumners in Essex.
Private Investigator Essex has skilful and experienced staff available to give you assistance with whatever you might be facing. Involvement in a lot of cases in and around Sumners, Private Investigator Essex have gained a lot of experience and understanding of the industry.
One of your debtors has absconded without paying you what he owes in Sumners. You can count on private investigators working at Private Investigator Essex to successfully trace this person so that you get the money back.
Signs from your spouse's behaviour that suggest unfaithfulness are becoming obvious to you in Sumners. You have asked Private Investigator Essex to help you because you are noticing that your partner in Asheldham no longer lets you touch his phone, laptop, etc.
An employee from your company who was supposed to be on a sick leave in The High has been found working somewhere else. Private Investigator Essex can help investigate whether your employee is working for another company when he is supposed to be off sick for justice to take its cause.
You don't know where your children are taken once you leave them with their father in Althorne. The main reasons for your concerns are that his friends are a bad influence but Private Investigator Essex can investigate this situation for you.
When you catch your landlord inside your house in Asheldham without your permission, and he says that he was ensuring things are fine, you think the real motive was something else. With the assistance of Private Investigator Essex, you can uncover whether your landlord has bugged your place in Sumners.
When considering doing business with other Sumners businesses you need to ensure there are no skeletons in their closet. To confirm the legitimacy of firms in Beacon Hill, you will need Private Investigator Essex to run a due diligence on them.
The nanny you have hired seems lovely but lately you have noticed that she has been taking the children out in Sumners without letting you know. You want Private Investigator Essex to carry out an Employee Monitoring Service to regain your peace of mind.
Without a delivery address, serving of court summons as required by law could be difficult to achieve in Sumners. Private Investigator Essex numerous years of service in this industry could locate the address and then serve the court documents.
The current address of an ex-wife in Essex could be investigated by Private Investigator Essex and the papers served appropriately. You can rest easy knowing that Private Investigator Essex services are done well and precisely.
Fraudulent car insurance claims can occur frequently since people don't tell the truth and exaggerate the injuries they say they got during an accident that took place in Asheldham. Private Investigator Essex can investigate into cases of insurance fraud in the Sumners area.


I'm desperate in my search for the perfect living room chair(s). I bracket my "s" because it's hard to say with a 10′ ladder, my swinging chariot of a chandelier, and my misfit furniture whether I need one or two. This will most definitely need to be worked out before I actually make the purchase…but for now just identifying the chair and making a love connection will do. As it is Valentine's Day, and most everything looks better through rose colored glasses I have collected some of the prettiest pink chairs I could find. That is, in my opinion of course.
Don't those just make your heart aflutter with excitement? Perhaps it's the kid in me, but a swivel chair is both playful and practical. If there's a dip in conversation or said conversation is decidedly boring, you can take yourself for a spin. It makes turning to the television or toward that engaging chap to your right, and dare I dream, another just to your left, a sinch. It's rhythmic and relaxing and fabulously fashionable. I'm very fond of the Jonathan Adler Bacharach Swivel pictured above. And it goes without saying that a Bergere is welcome in any home of mine.
I am certain that Kelly Wearstler has many secret admirers – but I am not one of them. I have made my obsession with her very public. That is why I am certain you aren't surprised to learn that her Souffle Chair, pictured to the left is my current crush. What I am not crushing on is the price tag – at $7300. I will have to wait for the rich and famous to get bored with the chair and sell it to me at a fraction of the price. I'll love it forever…and the name…it's simply sublime.


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Australia creates skilled migration advisory council
Australian Immigration Minister Chris Bowen has announced the creation of the Ministerial Advisory Council on Skilled Migration (MACSM) which will provide the Australian government with expert advice on the role of skilled migration in the Australian economy.
"Skilled migration plays a valuable role in addressing current and future skill shortages, as well as lessening the impact of Australia's ageing population, and it's important that we have fresh perspectives on how to best address these issues," Bowen said. "This new ministerial advisory council will provide the government with independent advice to help develop our migration policies and programs."
Bowen said the council members had been chosen from a wide range of backgrounds; They have been chosen for their relevant experience, and professional expertise. They will provide advice to the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship on Australia's temporary and permanent skilled migration programs. This includes reviewing the impact of skilled migration on the Australian economy and labour market, looking at the size and composition of the annual migration program, and considering the contribution of skilled migration to net overseas migration.
MACSM will inevitably be compared with the UK Migration Advisory Committee. It is expected that the Australian Ministerial Advisory Council on Skilled Migration will be more pro-immigration than the UK MAC.
Members of the new council include:
Michael Easson, chair of the council and executive chair of the EG Property Group
Grant O'Brien, Managing Director and CEO Woolworths
James Pearson, Chief Executive of Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA
Karen Read, General Manager of Financial Services, Commercial and Administration, Xstrata
Innes Willox, Chief Executive of Australian Industry Group
Paul Howes, National Secretary of Australian Workers' Union
Ged Kearney, President of Australian Council of Trade Unions
Peter McDonald, Director of Australian Demographic and Social Research Institute
Dave Noonan, National Secretary of Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union
Peter Tighe, National Secretary of Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union of Australia.
Additionally, each state and territory will be represented by a government official nominated by its state premier or territory chief minister.
• Australia lowers visa passmark - more skilled immigration
• Australia sets up panel to assess border protection issues
• New Zealand immigration announces increase in visa fees
• Committee wants minimum age for Australia's Prospective Marriage visa increased to 18
• Cooks can now complete their trade assessment for Australian visas in the UK


Ajax Cape Town captain Travis Graham keeps his eye on the play during a match against German side VfL Wolfsburg last year.
Ajax Cape Town's Ikamva home in Parow resembled a primary school playground on Sunday, as hundreds of youngsters born between 2005 and 2007, took part in the club's annual First Touch Programme open trials.
Dos Santos described Sunday's event as an open trial, as it was open to all players born between 2005 and 2007, rather than being by invitation only, as it is the case in other age groups.
He said the youngsters will also be involved in what is called the Ikamva Challenge, where eight teams of 12 players each (96 players in total) will play against each other. From then, the number of players will be reduced and those remaining will play against each other later in the year for place in the 16-player final under-12 team for next year.
Most players who went on to play for Ajax's first team and, eventually, the national team, started right there at the club's under-12 age group.
National under-23 first-choice goalkeeper Jody February, from Mitchell's Plain, and the Urban Warriors' latest signing, Luthando Mateza, from Gugulethu, are two of many such examples.
February, 20, and Mateza, 18, started their Ajax careers at that age. They climbed through the junior ranks up to the first team and, for February, beyond. Dos Santos said developing a player at that age group was key.
This, he said, was because a child starting off at the age of 14, for instance, would be a few steps behind because he missed out on that all important early development. He was, however, quick to note that there are exceptions.
"Some players are late developers and at Ajax, for instance, we had players coming here as 14 year olds and going on to make their mark at senior level.
"So, we can't just ignore the other age groups," said Dos Santos.


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Burton Township Recycling Drop-Off Site Closed
Dec 6, 2022 Dec 5, 2022 by Geauga News
The Geauga-Trumbull Solid Waste Management District (SWMD) would like to announce that the recycling drop-off location in Burton Township, 13329 Kinsman Road is permanently closed as of December 1, 2022. Recycling drop-off containers were placed to allow residents to recycle household bottles, jugs, jars, cans and paper/cardboard. Unfortunately, others have also used it to dispose of mattresses, furniture and other unacceptable items. "We want to give residents every opportunity to recycle, but if some regularly misuse the site as a trash dump, we cannot continue to keep the site open", says Jennifer Jones, Geauga-Trumbull SWMD Director. To locate a site near you and to see what items are accepted at our drop-off sites, visit our website at www.gottagogreen.org. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office at (330) 675-2673 or 800-707-2673. Residents of Geauga and Trumbull Counties only.
About Geauga-Trumbull SWMD
The Geauga-Trumbull Solid Waste Management District, created in 1993, is responsible for implementing the Ohio EPA's solid waste goals for waste reduction, recycling, and reducing reliance on landfills. Funding for the District is received through contract fees with landfills and transfer stations receiving waste from Geauga and Trumbull County residents and businesses. The District provides programs and services that include drop-off recycling locations, litter cleanups, special collections for household hazardous waste, electronics, scrap tires, and appliances, and other environmental programs.
Visit our website at www.GottaGoGreen.org or follow us on Facebook.
Geauga-Trumbull Solid Waste District Board of Directors:
Geauga County Commissioners: James W. Dvorak, Timothy C. Lennon and Ralph Spidalieri
Trumbull County Commissioners: Mauro Cantalamessa, Niki Frenchko, and Frank S. Fuda
1-2-3, time for Blackbrook Audubon's CBC


text:
zoom-pan-handle-ios
===================

A C library for handling panning and zooming limits in your iOS application and also providing rubber banding.

### Things that I haven't done yet but should get around to doing
- Add tests
- Make dylib

Please feel free to do this for me

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The Rev. Terry Jones, the "religious leader" who has proclaimed Islam as devil's religion, has called on the people to burn a Quran on the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. This is a man who says that he does not personally know any Muslims; a man who does not know where the Sharia law came from, and has apparently learned the little, if any, that he knows about Islam by watching YouTube videos.
General David H. Petraeus, the commander of the U.S. forces in Afghanistan, warned that any image of Quran burning will pose a threat to the safety of the U.S. troops in Afghanistan. P. J. Crowley, State Department spokesman, called Quran burning "un-American" and "inconsistent with the values of religious tolerance and religious freedom."
Why is it that in a country as great as the United States, a man associated with a small church that supposedly has only 50 members, can create such big waves with his message of hatred? The reason is that demonizing Muslims and Islam have been going on in the U.S., and more generally in the West, for a long time. It would be a grave mistake if we think that Islam bashing began after the terrorist attacks of 2001.
In fact, it began in this country long before those attacks. It goes back all the way to the Islamic Revolution of 1979 in Iran, the hostage crisis of 1979-1981, the Iran-Iraq war of 1980-1988, the first Persian Gulf war of 1991, and the crippling sanctions imposed on Iraq in the 1990s that killed 500,000 Iraqi children as a result of malnutrition. So, the war that the United States has been waging on the Islamic World in the name of combating terrorism began at least 30 years ago.
In his outstanding book, All the Shah's Men, Stephen Kinzer goes even further and states that the roots of the 2001 terrorist attacks go back to 1953 when the CIA overthrew Iran's democratically-elected Prime Minister, Dr. Mohammad Mosaddegh. So, let us consider the events since the 1979 Revolution in Iran.
With U.S. encouragement, Iraq invaded Iran in September 1980. The U.S., though officially neutral, supported Iraq in its war with Iran. But, the real goal of helping Iraq, while also being involved in the infamous Iran-Contra affairs whereby Israel supplied Iran with weapons, was to make both nations bleed to death. In 1983, one U.S. official declared, "We don't give a damn as long as the Iran-Iraq carnage does not affect our allies or alter the balance of power" (see Dilip Hiro, The Longest War, p. 121).
Henry Kissinger put it more bluntly: "Too bad they cannot both lose." The result: close to 1 million people died. But, that was not the end of the tragedy. Saddam's army that had been supported by the West became a monster, hence setting the stage for the first Persian Gulf War in 1990-1991, which renewed Muslim bashing in the U.S.
When home-grown terrorists, Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, blew up the federal building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995, killing 168 people, the first reaction of almost all the "pundits" was, "This has Middle Eastern terrorism written all over it." Muslim bashing went on for at least a day, before the world learned that the terrorists were all-American boys.
And when after the terrorist attacks of 2001, the public was terrified about the anthrax attacks, the idea was propagated and fueled by the right wingers and Islam haters that Saddam Hussein and Muslims were behind the attacks, whereas it was a home-grown terrorist that was committing the crimes. Practically nothing was done to correct the public's perception.
I will not even get into all the propaganda against Muslims and Islam after the 2001 terrorist attacks; almost all of it was sheer lie. An environment was created in which Muslims in the U.S. were living constant fear, and it became unpatriotic not to support the illegal invasion of Iraq.
And, of course, we all know that Muslim haters, George W. Bush, and the neoconservatives, made maximum use of the terrorist attacks of 2001 to advance their agenda. Did Ann Coulter, who is now bemoaning the war in Afghanistan, not declare, "We should invade their [Muslims'] countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity"?
After referring to the war with the Al-Qaeda terrorists as a "crusade," did G.W. Bush not receive top-secret daily briefings on the "progress" of the Iraq war that began with quotes from the bible?
Who were the advocates of the illegal invasion of Iraq? Who were the people who wanted to remake the entire Middle East - a totally Muslim region (aside from Israel) - by invading it? How many times has Fox News had anti-Muslims pose as "experts," propagating lies, half truths, and exaggerations about them? Too many to count.
But, demonizing Muslims and Islamic nations is not limited to such characters. Was it not Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who threatened to obliterate Iran? Was it not John McCain who sang, "Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran"? And they were threatening a large, dynamic, and highly educated Muslim nation whose population is actually pro-U.S.
President Obama has never been a Muslim. He is a Christian. He has said so times. But, one thing that is driving the Tea Party is the belief that the President is a Muslim. Few people have said, so what if the President is a Muslim? What would be wrong with it?
The height of demonizing Islam and Muslims is not even the call by Rev. Jones to burn copies of Quran. He is a fringe figure. It is the opposition to Park51, originally named the Cordoba House, the planned 13-story Islamic community center and mosque, to be located about two blocks from the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan. The propaganda, originated by Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer and then picked up by all the political opportunists - from Howard Dean to Joe "bomb-Iran-for-Israel's-Sake" Lieberman, representatives Peter King and Rick Lazio- has it that this will be a mosque (which is not) to be built at Ground Zero (which will not be and cannot even be seen from there) and if it is allowed to go forward, it will be a threat to the security of New York and America. Geller, Spencer, and their allies are nothing but fearmongers and demagogues. The two have even founded a center of bigotry called Stop Islamisation of America - an absurd notion in a country in which Muslims do not represent even 5 percent of the total population.
And, here is the latest news. It was revealed last week that eminent scientist Stephen Hawking has stated in his new book, The Grand Design, co-authored by American physicist Leonard Mlodinow, that, "Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing. It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the universe going."
Many took this as meaning that Hawking does not believe in God. But, whose fault is that? Muslims! An Israeli scientist insisted that Hawking's atheism was because, "He sees what is going on in the world - fundamentalism is spreading. People reach a lot of conclusions that are dangerous; think of Iran, al-Qaida. They want to blow up the world." Can demonizing Muslims get any cruder?
You see, demonizing Islam and Muslims has become very fashionable in the U.S. It has been turned into a highly profitable industry. It has also become a stick to hit the heads of your political rivals. It pays huge dividend, both politically and economically, to demonize Muslims and Islam. So, why should we be surprised that hatred propagated by the likes of Geller, Spencer, Coulter, and Rev. Jones gets traction in some circles?
The Algerian War of Independence with France killed 1.5 million Algerians. I will not even count how many Muslims were killed when Pakistan and India gained their independence from Britain.
How about the Suez Canal crisis of 1956, when France, Britain, and Israel attacked Egypt? 7500 Egyptian casualties.
Counting the number of people who were killed as a direct or indirect result of the CIA Coup in Iran in 1953 is impossible, because it depends on how we count the dead.
How about the Iran-Iraq casualties of their war, which was provoked and prolonged by the West (see above)? At least 1 million dead.
Shooting down Iran Air 655, a civilian airliner, by USS Vincennes in July 1988 killed all 290 people aboard.
The first Persian Gulf War: About 103000 civilians alone.
The crippling Sanctions imposed on Iraq between 1990 and 2003: Impossible to say. But, the United Nations UNICEF said that 500,000 Iraqi children died due to the sanction. The total number of dead is likely much higher.
The war in Bosnia: Of the about 110,000 killed (many believe that the true number is much larger), roughly 70 percent were Muslims, with up to 50,000 women raped.
The Iraq war: Between 200,000 and over 1 million, depending on who is counting. The war is not over yet. Add to it up to about 4.5 million refugees and displaced people.
The war in Afghanistan: Up to 50,000 civilians so far, and counting. I do not even count the up to 1 million Afghan people killed during its war with the Soviet Union in the 1980s, with up to 5 million refugees.
The total: Way over 4 million Muslims. Should I continue with my counting, or has the point been made?
So, the question is: Where is the sensitivity of the people in the West to the fact that all those Muslims were killed in wars imposed on them by the West?


text:
Struggling to keep the promise of Berkeley
Nancy Scheper-Hughes, anthropology professor | December 20, 2011
The normally docile faculty and well-behaved students who gathered at Sproul Plaza to observe a general strike in November were taken by surprise by the thwack of police clubs on flesh and bone. So was our former poet laureate, Robert Hass, whose soulful response to having been bludgeoned in the belly with a University of California policeman's truncheon tells part of the tragic story. But why were faculty and students being knocked around and dragged by the hair by the campus police?
The crisis at the University of California is not about faculty and staff pay cuts (which we have had to swallow), faculty bonuses (they don't exist), or academic perks (if they ever existed). Faculty at large public institutions like the University of California at Berkeley buy their own notebooks, pencils, and pens. Those who still use chalk steal it from their toddlers' cubbies and bring it to class in their pockets. We use our own cellphones for business calls.
Faculty under pressure
University professors (unless they have a large research grant) have no secretaries to prepare their manuscripts for publication or the hundreds of letters of recommendation, the purgatorial price professors pay for the opportunity to teach and shape the next generation of scholars. We no longer write those letters on embossed university letterhead, also a thing of the past. Despite what you might think, professors at public universities grade most of their undergraduate student papers and all of their graduate student theses and dissertations without assistance.
University professors are dedicated, hard-working people, with largely old-time values. Most are not on the make or "on the market" for higher salaries and better perks. We're there for the long haul, seeing graduate students through seven or eight years of specialized training.
The crisis at Berkeley is about the failed promise of reasonably attainable higher education. It is about the escalating costs of college that are turning a younger generation into debt-peons, and about the difficulty of obtaining jobs after graduation.
The current crisis is fundamentally about privatization and the dismantling of a national public treasure. The students and professors who were whacked by billy clubs want to preserve a grand public university that took a century to build to its present pre-eminence and is taking just a few years to destroy.
Held hostage to attacks on public institutions
Although public universities are under attack throughout the United States, the University of California is taking a particularly hard beating, metaphorically and literally. In California, the public university (the 10 campuses of UC, the state-college system, and the community colleges)—like public libraries and day-care centers—is being held hostage to citizens who have waged tax rebellions since 1978 and whose heirs still refuse to support any civic institution that doesn't directly affect their private lives or needs. ("Who needs a public library?"; "Our children attend private schools"; "Public housing is a nuisance.")
Consequently, our children are less literate, and our streets are filling up with homeless warriors returned from the battlefields of the Middle East. Meanwhile, state support for the University of California is steadily shrinking, undergraduate tuition has almost doubled since 2007, and classroom spaces once reserved for California residents are being sold to affluent students from out of state and abroad. Diversity is good for any institution, but a diversity limited to those who can buy it is not diversity at all.
Outsourcing is another survival strategy. The much-heralded agreement to open a Berkeley-Shanghai campus is one solution to bankruptcy, but will it help our struggling undergraduates—most of whom work double shifts, carrying a full plate of demanding courses and working at outside jobs more than 20 hours a week—defray the expenses of room and board and Wi-Fi?
Digital, long-distance learning is another vaunted solution, but what might work for basic language, math, and science classes won't work for the give and take of face-to-face undergraduate classes, not to mention the hyperinteractiveness of science labs or the intellectually combative graduate seminars that teach students to think on their feet.
Public higher education is dying. As senior faculty retire, their positions and programs are going with them, not to be replaced. There is always talk about closing "expensive" departments: the humanities, the arts, and the social sciences in particular. Gov. Rick Scott of Florida recently declared that anthropologists were not needed in his state: "It's a great degree if people want to get it, but we don't need them here." On another occasion he said, "Do you want to use your tax money to educate more people who can't get jobs in anthropology? I don't." And there are other signs of institutional decline, at least in California. Custodial staff, cut to the bone, do their best, but university hallways, stairwells, and bathrooms are unsanitary, elevators are out of order for six months at a time, and "smart" classrooms (those with PowerPoint and video capacity) are scarcer than hen's teeth.
Against the backdrop of a deep recession, a failing war in Afghanistan, stalled efforts to overhaul American health care, the sudden appearance of the "new" working-class poor in shelters and food kitchens, why should anyone give a hoot about a crisis in public higher education?
Conflicting views on the role of a university
There are two views of the university. One is the university as a critical institution engaged in the political and social transformation of the society of which it is a part. The second sees the university as a cloister, a secular monastery of reclusive scribes and writers, safely removed from the influence of the larger society and the world. That view has been advanced most forcefully by President John Sexton of New York University, who has referred to the university as a "sacred space," drawing on Cardinal Newman's essay "The Idea of the University," published in 1852. Newman described the university as a place for preserving and teaching "universal knowledge."
But in truth the university has never been isolated. It always responds to external interests—sometimes for patronage and gain, sometimes for power and political clout.
Higher education also has the responsibility to support and drive economic growth, as it did so forcefully in California throughout most of the 20th century. During World War II, for example, UC served the war effort in ways that today would make many progressive professors cringe. After the war, the U.S. Department of State and the California legislature considered the public university a weapon—hence the tense and often faculty-contested incorporation of federally financed nuclear research at UC—as well as an engine for fueling economic and political prowess, through advancing technological dominance. Area-studies programs focusing on Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa were developed to protect American interests and to keep our educated citizens informed of foreign affairs.
But the public university is hamstrung if state government and its citizens won't support it. Its once proud and powerful influence is shrinking partly through lack of financial support and partly through threats to academic freedom. For example, the legal Catch-22s within "homeland security" expose visiting professors and scholars from other countries to invasive screening and background checks. Many are denied entry without just cause. Others receive their visas so late that they cannot attend the conferences at which they were scheduled to speak or accept the postdoctoral research fellowships offered to them. Thus we lose the contributions of some of the world's most gifted students and scholars, diminishing our capacity to understand other societies and cultures and to see ourselves in relation to the rest of the world. Global intellectual exchange on our campuses is in grave danger.
Meanwhile, the infiltration of corporate business models into every aspect of academic life has led to the devaluation of the arts, humanities, and social sciences, which are seen either as luxuries or intellectual enemies of the global economy. Harvard University President Drew Gilpin Faust noted in 2009 the growing dominance of economic justifications for the existence of universities, to the exclusion of its other missions, such as fostering a broad, liberal education, disinterested scholarship, and social citizenship. Higher education, she wrote, is not about delivering a commodity—a university degree—but about fostering public good. Universities are meant to produce skepticism as well as knowledge. They should afflict the comfortable but unexamined notions that often undermine democratic societies. Universities, said Faust, should be "creative and unruly places, safe spaces for dissent, allowing for a polyphony of disparate voices."
The prospects are grim, but Berkeley faculty and students are struggling to keep their promise—of an open, free, independent, and diverse public institution—to the people of California, even while the public has not kept its promises to them. It took a faculty rebellion in 1919-20 to force the California legislature and UC regents to recognize the Academic Senate and its role in shared governance of the university. Clark Kerr, Berkeley's chancellor from 1952 to 1958, fought against the firing of faculty who refused to sign the anti-communist loyalty oath the regents required employees to sign during the McCarthy era. And Chancellor Chang-Lin Tien fought against the regents' 1995 ban on affirmative action in undergraduate admissions by raising more than a billion dollars, part of which was used to recruit and prepare disadvantaged minorities for admission to the Berkeley campus.
Berkeley students started the free-speech movement in 1964, and students and faculty fought against military recruitment on campus during the Vietnam War, held anti-apartheid divestment strikes, and fought for affirmative action. Not all these struggles were successful, but all of them were worthy fights.
Today faculty and students are trying to prevent tuition increases that would erode a public university and change it into a public-private enterprise. They are also committed to preventing further police brutality against demonstrators and protecting their constitutional right of nonviolent civil disobedience.
Nonviolent resistance has lost some of its luster in recent decades, overshadowed by the "war against terror" and a resurgence of what used to be called authoritarianism. Faculty members tend to embrace a decorous civility. Civil disobedience doesn't come easily to most people of good conscience. We are raised to be accommodating. But now is not the time for accommodation.
Cross-posted from The Chronicle of Higher Education
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Comments to "Struggling to keep the promise of Berkeley"
John Robinson says:
The lament about the challenges facing professors at a fine institution like UC Berkeley seems to repeat the "cut to the bone" phrase. Part of the problem with all public institutions, be it public universities, fireman, or policeman, is that the Defined Benefit pension plans must change. We are out on the hook as taxpayers for 50% to 100% of a public employees salary when they retire. It would be better to switch to a Defined Contribution Plan, and future generations of California taxpayers would be spared the anguish of seeing cities and higher learning institutions going broke.
The stranglehold that California public unions have on our state must be broken.
I am completely agree with Anthony St. John '63 that "California has far too many undereducated citizens who are unable to take an interest, study the issues, listen and discuss all views and demand that that our politicians meet the needs of We".
We really need to look at what is the quality of our society first, we need to improve it and then we can take care of our interests as one.
Anthony St. John '63 says:
Thank you for backing me up Sam.
To make this even more imperative, there are far too many history lessons about failures by politicians and intellectuals that are never learned and acted upon, please see my latest response to Prof. Reich's post yesterday:
"Thoughts on Tax Day 2012"
http://berkeleyblog.wpengine.com/2012/04/17/thoughts-on-tax-day-2012/comment-page-1/#comment-108327
Don't believe the hype. UC Berkeley professors, researchers, and successful students use neither their alleged academic freedom nor their fsm free speech. Today's story quoting Kristie Boering's research announcement definitively linking chemical fertlizer and atmospheric NO2 concluded with a completely unnecessary, unsupported, apologetic intimating that significant reduction or elimination of the use of chemical fertilizer is out of the question. UCB Berkeley researchers regularly self-censor and in the process censor others.
The problem with the California political system is rooted in the decades long decision to limit the ability of local government to raise property taxes. True that no one wants their taxes increased, but local taxes should be used for local projects (Prop 13). Using state taxes collected to pay for projects that don't affect individuals within their community is a real problem.
Strong, persuasive essay!
But–and this is totally off-point, but where else can I say this on this blog site?–I just noticed how very few of the posts on this site are written by women professors. To assure myself that I wasn't seeing things, I counted: of the sixty-three or so blog posts that appear when one clicks on a topic ("Arts, Culture, & Humanities"), only eight are written by women.
What gives? I don't attend Cal (my daughter did). Surely, there are more women teachers than those numbers suggest. Why are they not more of a presence on this blog?
Yet one more example of 'struggling to keep the promise of Berkeley'…!
Martin Neimoller says:
Nancy Scheper-Hughes should discuss this article, especially in the larger context of how (educational) inequality is reproduced at Berkeley: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1548-1433.2011.01368.x/abstract
political contributions california says:
Political contributions combined with short terms in office along with term limits are killing the ability of lawmakers to push real change. Time in office should be changed from 2 to 5 years. This can help lawmakers focus on big picture issues rather than worry about where reelection contributions are coming from.
california political system says:
The California political system has encouraged voter referendums. Which sounds good, but over the last decade or so has gone haywire with all these propositions. That is one of the main causes of gridlock in the state. A law gets passed by the legislature then a proposition is put in front of voters to over turn it and then the opposition challenges in court…..and REPEAT! No wonder the state is billions in the hole!
california political jobs says:
As tough as things are California does have a bright future in several industries. The software, bio tech , and green industries are basically based out of California. The green and bio tech industries are still maturing and have a lot of opportunity to create jobs for Californians.
William Doonan says:
As a California community college anthropology professor, I share your concerns. We've been cut to the bone, and we're watching tuitions skyrocket. Not only that, but the oversight is becoming ominous. No more Magic, Witchcraft & Religion – it sounds too fluffy, too lacking in rigor. No more Anthropology of Science Fiction – even though it allows an unparalleled opportunity for self-reflection. Pretty soon we'll be down to one or two core classes that compete for funding with an English department that does little but teach grammar. But that's OK – there will still be plenty of jobs out there for Californians, provided they like picking stuff or bathing senior citizens.
William Doonan
california political contributions says:
Too much special interest. Too much political contributions. Too much favors. Makes for a disaster in governance as witnessed by the citizens of California!
Stop pointing your fingers, look at yourselves in the mirror first and take responsibility for restoring California political, economic, social and environmental systems to meet the immediate and long term best interests of all citizens once again.
#1 PROBLEM – California has far too many undereducated citizens who are unable to take an interest, study the issues, listen and discuss all views and demand that that our politicians meet the needs of We The People as their paramount priority once again.
#2 PROBLEM – Disengaged university educators who fail to make sure We The People are educated enough to perpetuate democracy of, by and for the people.
Continuation of an undereducated electorate is a threat to the future for all of us, especially our democracy.
Time for far more preeminent Berkeley professors and scholars to follow the role model example of Professor Robert Reich and speak out loud and clear via the news media to educate We The People to make the right decisions before the 2012 election.
The problem with the California political system is rooted in the decades long decision to limit the ability of local government to raise property taxes. True that
university of california political science says:
It is just very disappointing how ever time something has to get cut the state just raids our colleges and education system. The UC system is one of the best in the world, but not for much longer at this rate.
Bettina Lewis says:
Peep peep, I'm just that chick hatching in the egg, saying, don't forget the staff: until their attrition is treated properly the rest won't work, either. Also remember that the less staff, the more reason to hire contractors – the privatization creates a substandard physical (and psychological) infrastructure.
Thanks, Nancy, for this eloquent (though a tiny bit incomplete) overview.
Indeed, it is time for Berkeley professors and scholars to Fight Back to save Education, Democracy, Freedom of Speech, Civil Rights, ERA, Jobs to End Poverty and Guaranteed Quality of Life for All Future Generations more than ever before in history. Berkeley provided leadership in the 60s and 70s and it is time to make the right things happen again.
The way our politicians are destroying quality of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness today demands that scholars provide a much higher level of education for We The People in such a way as to end polarization, permanent campaign cycle, and special interest power of money that controls our politicians and disenfranchises We The People from control of our government.
The rise of democracy that ancient Athenians produced is now being threatened by the fall phase of democracy produced by Washington politicians today.
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