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The Minister's New Clothes | A completely unbelievable short story. . .
There is a woman, a minister, the head of a government, well known to all of us who is extremely fond of new and expensive clothes. So much so that a considerable amount of the money she earns is spent on dresses, trouser suits, shirts and jumpers, not to mention very large necklaces and fancy shoes. Now, any woman, every woman, should be allowed to wear whatever she likes, without censure or comment, and as the men the woman works with are also well-dressed it is something of a sexist double-standard to single her out. But, given the woman's powerful role, and the fact that many of those she supposedly represents are doing less than just about managing, that she is rarely seen in the same over-priced outfit twice seems more than a little tasteless. And yet, the woman seems oblivious to the impression she is giving, even agreeing to be featured in various publications to showcase her style and fashion sense.
Although everyone, including the woman and the ministers who work with her, pretend that the members of the government are the ones running the country in reality they and their actions are manipulated by a small number of rich and powerful others; the big business owners, the media barons and others generally referred to as the 1%. These people, many of them white, able-bodied men, have greater access to and control of, both the capitalist means of production and the right wing ideological apparatus that is the mainstream media. They are therefore, responsible not only for the continued exploitation of the many, but also the ongoing skewed political socialisation of the masses. Such is their hunger for power and money this small, unrepresentative group will do anything they can to maintain their position and influence. The women's love of garments and accessories is valuable to them, in their plan to retain their status as the privileged few, willing as she is to wear their gift of a cloak woven together with threads made up of whopping great rancid lies.
Her responsibility for the policies of the land means that the woman has to justify her decisions to her government, the ministers that challenge and oppose her, and more generally to us, the everyday folk in society. In a time honoured tradition, one afternoon each week the woman is posed a series of questions by the opposition ministers. Serious issues are raised and flaws in her plans and practices often highlighted and as such the event should, one would think, be conducted with solemnity and judged in terms of the substance of the points that are aired and the answers that are given (or not). Sadly though over the years this encounter has become more like a pantomime than a parliamentary debate with the jeerers and smearers, jesters and charlatans attempting to drown out the sincere interrogation. 'Oh Yes It Is', and 'Oh No It Isn't', are common taunts and given that some on the opposite benches seem unclear to whom their loyalty should lie, 'S/He's Behind You', is increasingly shouted in warning to the man who asks the lion's share of the questions. The woman herself, has little respect for the questions or for those that ask them and leads her ministers in insulting and abusing the opposition. The harshest and most vitriolic comments are reserved for the key questioner, a man who cares little about his own presentation of self, little about the clothes he wears, except that is for his collection of ties in deepest red. So warped has the system become that the nastier, more aggressive, more personal, more insulting the attack, and the thicker the woman's cloak of lies becomes, the more support she is given from those that control her, reflected in the representation of her by the 1% funded media. Thus, despite the woman's obvious lack of compassion for the many, coupled with much evidence of her bad judgements in terms of present national crises and future local and global concerns, her own particular toxic charisma becomes stronger and more positive in mainstream narratives.
The cloak, unlike the woman's other clothes, is not made of luxurious cloth in vibrant colours. Rather it is a dark despicable thing, dripping in filthy falsehood, greasy from backroom bargaining and grimy deals. Yet, the cloak remains invisible to many people who are unable to see it and the woman who wears it in all their true horror. Terrifyingly this means that the woman is trusted with what she ought not to be and believed even when it should be obvious that her words are nothing but hollow spin. On the few occasions when the cloak slips and the woman and her ministers are exposed for what they truly are the woman, aided again by the forces that protect her, creates a diversion, a moral panic, in order to deflect attention away from both her words and her actions. Once again the focus is often the man who leads the opposition; his arguments for peace claimed as both unsafe and unpatriotic, his efforts for those most vulnerable and alienated defined as old fashioned and unworkable. Additionally, (and yet more evidence that the woman's claim that she is working for a shared society for all is just another meaningless sound bite) attention is also diverted towards those whose identities, experiences, life-chances and choices do not fit that of the so-called, narrowly defined ideal type. Through the use of simplistic stereotypes just about everyone is labelled as other, stigmatised as abnormal and or dangerous, defined as undeserving. Those affected include (not least): the employed who fight for their rights, the unemployed for their drain on the system, the homeless for littering the streets; the old for their outdated views and lack of sympathy for the young, the young for their weakness and lack of resilience, those at midlife for their lack of care and attention for both the old and the young; the experts for their pomposity; anyone from man or woman in the street (or online) to celebrity who dares to offer a critique. But perhaps the greatest identification and demonisation of otherhood is directed at those defined as unworthy stranger; the immigrant and the refugee. We are told again and again that these people are simultaneously taking all our jobs and using up all our resources when in actuality considerations of a day without them clearly shows their invaluable input into the healthy, safe, effective daily lives of all. So neighbour is pitted against neighbour and the tension and fear that this encourages successfully shifts the responsibility away from those who most deserve it. It is not the woman, the government, or the 1%, who take the blame for the inequalities and injustices in society but rather similar others who are equally, if not more, oppressed, powerless and vulnerable.
There are some, thankfully, who are able to see the cloak, the woman, and her supporters, for what they are. There are some, to whom we should all be grateful, who are working hard to ensure that more of us can see this too. There are some, despite continued misrepresentation and abuse, who continue to challenge fear and hate and insist on the need for hope and love.
There are some . . .
Labels: 1%, attack, capitalist means of production, government, inequality, injustice, lies, moral panic, oppression, otherhood, parliamentary debate, political socialistion, power
Happy Valentine's Day | Surveillance, Bullies, Xenophobia and more, so much more
An article I read this morning suggests that Valentine's Day has its origins in the Roman feast of Lupercalia. From the 13th to the 15th of February the celebration included animal sacrifice, nakedness, drinking, sexual activity and the whipping of women (in the belief that this would increase their fertility). Following a number of developments and changes Valentine's Day is now a more intimate, romantic event for many. It's big business too:
According to market research firm IBIS World, Valentine's Day sales reached $17.6 billion last year; this year's sales are expected to total $18.6 billion. Well that's ok then. http://www.npr.org/2011/02/14/133693152/the-dark-origins-of-valentines-day
I'm sure many of us would agree that the world is a pretty dark place at the moment and we all need to find pockets of joy and celebration to get us through. For in just the last couple of days we have been reminded (not least) of:
- The need for those of us in the UK to keep fighting for the NHS, to keep exposing the government's cuts and deals. Just released plans highlight proposed or likely closure of 19 hospitals, including five major acute hospitals by 2021. This will mean the closure of 2,000+ beds in acute and community hospitals and the loss of nearly 3,000 jobs to create a 'smaller, more agile' workforce.
- Further evidence that the now teeth-grinding phrase 'the will of the people' is only relevant when politically useful. Today we are told:
HM Government believes the President of the United States should be extended the full courtesy of a State Visit. We look forward to welcoming President Trump once dates and arrangements are finalised.
HM Government recognises the strong views expressed by the many signatories of this petition, but does not support this petition.
During her visit to the United States on 27 January 2017, the Prime Minister, on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen, invited President Trump for a State Visit to the UK later this year. The invitation was accepted. This invitation reflects the importance of the relationship between the United States of America and the United Kingdom. At this stage, final dates have not yet been agreed for the State Visit.
- The evidence suggesting that we have much, much more than a visit by Donald Trump to worry about. Just a few things here, there are more:
The Investigatory Powers Act which received Royal Assent on the 29th November 2016 means that Britain is the most advanced surveillance state in the democratic (I typed demoncratic at first, seems more appropriate somehow) world, as the government now has unrestricted access to everyone's personal information and internet browsing history.
The Calais Wall built to keep refugees out of Britain. The four-metre-high wall, which separates the refugee camp from passing traffic, was completed in December, cost £2.3 million and was funded by the taxpayer. Add to this the government's U-turn on the Dubs amendment which committed the UK to help the most vulnerable unaccompanied children in Europe and Home Office confirmation that it has placed a temporary halt on accepting refugee children with disabilities.
The proposed overhaul of existing secrecy legislation aimed at whistleblowers and journalists with a maximum prison sentence increase from two to 14 years and a redefinition of espionage to include obtaining sensitive information, as well as passing it on.
- That, sadly, oh so very sadly, some people care little about anyone else's rights, needs or comforts. And indeed appear interested only in their own entertainment. Tim Loughton MP - a Conservative who voted for the bedroom tax; for reductions in welfare spending, including for sick, disabled people, people unable to work; against laws promoting human rights; against legal aid being available for sick, disabled and dying people appealing wrong welfare decisions - tweeted on Sunday evening: Just had a great night at the BAFTAS apart from the usual predictable drivel from Ken Loach in his own La La Land.
Loach accepting the award for Outstanding British Film said:
Thank you to the academy for endorsing the truth of what the film says, which hundreds of thousands of people in this country know, and that is that the most vulnerable and the poorest people are treated by this government with a callous brutality that is disgraceful. It's a brutality that extends to keeping out refugee children that we promised to help and that's a disgrace too.
But films can do many things. They can entertain, they can terrify, they can take us to worlds of the imagination, they can make us laugh, and they can tell us something about the real world we live in. And in that real world – it's a bit early for a political speech, I'm sorry – but in that real world it's getting darker, as we know. And in the struggle that's coming between the rich and the powerful, the wealthy and the privileged, and the big corporations and the politicians who speak for them on the one hand, and the rest of us on the other, then film-makers – and we're all film-makers here – the film-makers know which side they are on. And despite the glitz and glamour of occasions like this, we're with the people.
In their coverage of the awards the BBC TV news following BAFTA failed to even mention Loach and the award, let alone his speech. Never mind for many have shared it online since and here it is again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FO1ODjceBM
- The evidence to suggest that Tim Loughton is not a one-off. Although Loach has received much support and praise for his approach there are many others (including politicians) who seem to have forgotten that film, drama, art, literature and the like has always been a way of 'doing politics'. Like Loughton many of these people are criticising Loach for 'spoiling' their Sunday evening viewing.
As I was watching this particular twitter drama unfold the following came up on my Twitter feed. No words for this, just a feeling of despair. . .
- The confirmation (as if we needed it) that sexism, racism and the especially nasty mix of the two as it plays out in misogynoir (misogyny directed towards Black women where race and gender both play roles in bias) is alive and kicking. That we even have to have a discussion about whether or not Diane Abbott MP was abused and insulted, in person and in a text exchange with a friend, by David Davis MP, is horrifying.
I have worked in organisations were the culture has been bullish and bullying. If senior individuals treat others badly this gives permission for everyone (unless they resist the pressure) to behave badly too. This is what, I think, is happening in both Theresa May's government and society more generally, with examples of mistreatment (some of which I've considered here) just as bad as at the feast of Lupercalia.
A poem to end; befitting of the date:
Roses are red,
Violets are blue.
I've had enough,
And I hope so have you.
Labels: Baftas, Calais Wall, Conservative Government, Investigatory Powers Act, misogynoir, NHS, poem, surveillance, Trump UK visit
Of Hugs and Hope | Today's Bit of Positive Thinking
What happens when humans hug
I posted this picture (from @RealBanksy on twitter) on my Facebook timeline a couple of days ago. It didn't attract many likes. I was disappointed as in these turbulent, and often frightening, times this image feels, to me, like a beautiful symbol of love and hope. My writing at the moment is going through what could be called a dark phase. Like others I'm anxious and angry about the injustices and inequalities that dominated 2016 and continue into 2017. In my latest piece (Finding Tory OR Whoops There Goes Our NHS (and our social care, our jobs, our human rights and so on and so on and so on) | Everyday Life in a Secret, Sneaky Society) which I finished, and posted on this blog earlier today (I hope you decide to read it) my focus was cuts, misinformation (and lies), distraction and the need to keep fighting. I have decided that - not least for the sake of my health, my head and my heart – that sometimes I need to focus on, and write about issues and experiences, that make me feel happier and, at least a little, positive.
Despite recent evidence to the contrary I don't just spend all of my time obsessing about P/politics. Having left full time university work at the end of 2014 I now work freelance and in the last 15 days I have travelled from my home in south Cornwall to Aberdeen, Bath, Coventry and Plymouth. Next week I'll be in Belfast and Greenwich. I have moderated undergraduate coursework, finished the first draft of a collaboratively written academic article, done some administration for a journal I co-edit, reviewed a book proposal, examined three PhDs and attended several meetings. I feel lucky to have such interesting work, I am privileged to work with so many engaging people. On Monday of this week I helped a friend plan a funeral (I'm also a qualified Civil Celebrant) for a friend of his and I attended an information evening for a charity that provides support to people in emotional need. I hope to be accepted as a volunteer. In the last couple of weeks a couple of people have been rude to me, but many others have smiled at me, or kissed me, or shown me a kindness. At the weekend (see Grief and Loss, Emotional and Material Concerns | Part Memoir, Part Rant (also this blog)) a dear friend drove me to the graveyard where my parents are buried close to the anniversary dates of both of their deaths. Yesterday the same friend and I went to the cinema. We chatted before and after the film and laughed and cried a little during the showing. A few days ago I spent a delicious couple of hours chatting to another lovely friend whilst her five week old daughter slept and gently snorted on my right shoulder. On Twitter and Facebook supportive words from new and long established friends have made me smile and given me confidence. On trains and in shops greetings and brief exchanges have brightened my day. I am warmed by and grateful for such experiences and encounters.
During my mum's final illness at the turn of 2011/2012 I wrote a short story entitled Normal Hugs. It was one of my first attempts at fiction and I make no claims to quality. This week though I've found myself thinking about it again and include some excerpts here:
As she drives away from the school Liz finds herself thinking back to an article she read in the paper a few days ago. A normal hug lasts just about three seconds apparently. Any less and it's not really a hug, doesn't convey the right amount of affection or concern; any more and the recipient, if not the giver, of the hug begins to feel uncomfortable. She has always hated the word normal and makes it a personal quest to challenge the norm when she can….
… a coffee with her friend Gill in town. An event bound to cheer her up. Sipping a skinny cappuccino at Belle's whilst she waits, having arrived 15 minutes before she knows Gill will, Liz finds herself watching the other café dwellers. There are several rendezvous. A couple of men in suits shake hands, hitch up their trousers and huddle over espressos and a laptop. Two sets of 30 and 40 something women kiss, hug (for just less than three seconds Liz estimates) and settle over their various milky coffees to chat. An older woman rises to greet a younger woman and an almost school age child. These intergenerational greetings she finds the most interesting: a hug for the woman, 'normal' again (Liz imagines the single quotation marks in her head) but a tight squeeze and a rain of kisses for the girl which make her squeal with delight....
Her shift [as a librarian] passes quickly and as ever is full of variety. She does a stint on the desk, talks to several regulars, gives recommendations to readers from a number of generations and spends some time cataloguing. There is plenty of time for her hug research also and she is struck by just how common hugging is. As in the coffee shop and the gym women are more likely to be both the givers and recipients of hugs. She wonders when it became so commonplace, when close physical contact became so popular in a country whose inhabitants have a reputation for being stiff and undemonstrative. She concludes that perhaps it is the result of North American influences and a shadowing of behaviours in movies and television programmes. Whatever, she decides she likes to see and experience it as a form of greeting, of farewell or of spontaneous affection. She is the happy recipient of a few hugs herself during the afternoon. The first is from a woman, a new visitor to the library, who tried the three bookshops in town first. The talking book she wants is available for loan from the library and when Liz finds it for her the woman smiles brightly and briefly clasps her to her chest. Following the three pm story book session a couple of the pre-schoolers thank Liz with hugs as does one of their mothers who is herself an old friend….
I appreciate, of course I do, that such connection can be unwanted and/or used to manipulate. Later in the story I wrote:
Driving home she passes the railway station and stopped in traffic she sees an advert for various railcards all promising a percentage cost off hugs to the lucky owner. How strange that she should see this today of all days. Again, as on the birthday cards she saw earlier, there are figures frozen in a perpetual clinch. But this time it is people caught by the click of a camera rather than sweet and slightly sickly images drawn by Hallmark, and similar, employees. There are parents and their children, grandparents and grandchildren, friends, lovers. She realises of course that these images are as staged as the ones on greetings cards and that the depicted adults and children are likely to be actors, paid for their time….
I know too that such behaviour is not a panacea for the social, material and political unfairness, oppression and horror in our society and more globally. I know that hugging a Fascist isn't the solution, or even something that we might want to risk. But, small acts of kindness, small displays of affection can help us all, whether accompanied or not by physical touch, whether face-to-face or through other forms of communication.
Here's to more of it. And although I'm not suggesting that we should wait for it before we act Random Acts of Kindness Week begins on February the 12th https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/
Labels: friends, inequality, injustice, kindness, short story.
Finding Tory OR Whoops There Goes Our NHS (and our social care, our jobs, our human rights and so on and so on and so on) | Everyday Life in a Secret, Sneaky Society
I've been trying to write this piece for quite a while. I can, I think, be forgiven for my procrastination given the current fast pace of political activity, change, response and reaction. But it's not only the dynamics and scale of the issue(s) that has hindered me but also the horror, the increasingly unbelievable farce of it all. The first of my concerns - Finding Tory – may appear odd given that at one level the government and the impact of their policies and practices is everywhere. But, shockingly much of what they are doing as in Whoops There Goes Our NHS etc. takes place quietly, sneakily, with little fanfare and (often) little reaction.
In my last post (Grief and Loss, Emotional and Material Concerns | Part Memoir, Part Rant) I wrote of the recently announced cuts to financial bereavement support and how these will significantly negatively impact on the lives of widowed parents with young children. In the last couple of days we have also heard from the Resolution Foundation who argue that by 2020 the inequality gap will be wider still and the living standards for the poorest half of households will be worse than since the early years of Margaret Thatcher's 1979-90 government:
The prediction that inequality is set to start rising again is based on the thinktank's forecast that while incomes will fall for the poorer half of households they will rise by about 5% for the richest fifth over the next four years.
The foundation blames the upcoming living standards squeeze on a combination of stagnating pay, rising inflation and the rollout of more than £12bn of welfare cuts. It emphasised that the pound's weakness since the Brexit vote and other economic factors such as flat productivity growth were only part of the picture. The unequal nature of the squeeze would be the result of government policy on tax and benefits. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/jan/31/theresa-may-inequality-margaret-thatcher-resolution-foundation
Add to this the government plans to drastically cut 1 in 10 job centres (which will impact on and further increase the numbers of unemployed people); the suggestion that families need to take more responsibility for the care of the elderly (as a childless woman I might well be writing more about this in the future); the increase in homelessness, the fact that people with disabilities are having to crowdfund for essential equipment; the poor conditions (for all concerned) in prison and the rising number of deaths amongst those in custody . . . .
This frightening and long-reaching list of cuts, cuts, cuts, and the way they are both managed and reported, highlights a sad and seamless connection between 2016 and 2017. In December for example:
· The government imposed a rise of £250 a year (applicable from autumn 2017) tuition fees. This will affect over half a million students. The increase was not announced, rather the information was put straight onto the gov.uk website.
· The new Governance Code on Public Appointments gives government ministers greater power over who runs public bodies, including the BBC, Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission.
· Despite increases in the number of children living in poverty the government has merged the Child Poverty Unit with the DWP.
For more detail on these, and other policies and practices that should concern us all, see Steve Topple's piece here: http://www.thecanary.co/2017/01/03/enjoying-turkey-tories-repeatedly-stuffed-us/ Overall, as Mr Topple candidly puts it 'While you were enjoying your turkey, the Tories repeatedly stuffed us all'. For anyone who wants to keep up to date with issues and experiences not being reported in the main stream media (MSM) it's definitely worth following Steve on @MrTopple.
Many of the Conservative government induced bad news stories that have hit the MSM have done so whilst we have been looking elsewhere. For the last couple of weeks the distraction has been both Brexit and Trump; what I've come to think of as BREXUMP. These issues are important not least because they expose other horrors. In the week after our PM Theresa May tells us that meeting President Trump is the biggest statement she can make about women's equality and then hand-in-hand with said president 'reassures' us of US/UK special relationship it is both interesting and frightening to reflect on a couple of the Republican's and the Conservatives' newest policies. Early into his presidency Trump signed an executive order defunding any international development groups which give women or girls overseas advice on abortion and passed the Hyde Amendment (a clause that bans any federal money from helping to fund abortions) into law. Compare this to a development closer to home: whilst we were all focused on the new president's inauguration the UK government pressed ahead with, amongst other things (see below), its previous proposal that women whose third child is born following a sexual assault should be forced to provide evidence of the rape or risk losing tax credits.
But not to worry for in her first speech of the year Theresa May assured us of her commitment to a 'shared society'. Reiterating points already made in her 2016 Conservative Conference Speech she spoke of 'burning injustices' and healing divisions between 'a more prosperous older generation and a struggling younger generation' and 'between the wealth of London and the rest of the country' between the rich, the successful and the powerful, and their fellow (not so rich, successful or powerful) citizens.
Mixed Media 'No such thing as society' (London artist]
Having all ridden on the Tory unmerry-go-round of 'no such thing as society' (Thatcher 1987); 'classless society' (Major 1991); 'responsible society' (Hauge 2001); and 'big society' (Cameron 2005) we have begun to reflect on this latest Tory soundbite. Not a shared society but a scared society or a shred society say some. To me, the examples above (plus the many others I could have cited including tax breaks for the highest earners whilst public section pay remains frozen: a reduction in spending on mental health services and more and more) suggest that secret society or sneaky society are much more appropriate descriptors.
The mounting evidence of secrets and lies concerning issues as wide ranging as knowledge of Trident misadventures and justice for Hillsburgh support such terms. As do the incredulous claims of 'crisis what crisis' and much evidence of absolute waffle, rather than straight talking. For an example, see this from a speech May delivered in's Trump's company:
I have been listening to the president and the president has been listening to me. That's the point of having a conversation and a dialogue ....
There will be times when we disagree and issues on which we disagree.
If all of this is not enough to scare us about what might be next there's also the government's support for plans to dictate who we can vote for (Labour seats are over-represented in proposed constituency boundary changes) and who can vote (only those with an ID card, only those who can speak English or Welsh) all whilst the Conservatives are under investigation for election fraud.
I am shocked over and over again that the murmurs of discontent aren't building to a cacophony of rage. OK, so apparently Amazon has sold out of copies of Orwell's Nineteen Eight-Four (and there's a clever meme of a battered copy of Twenty Seventeen doing the rounds) and more of us are active on our tablets and phones, even on the streets, in ways we haven't been for a while, or ever. BUT, we all need to do more to expose the secrets and to fight for a society that's safe for us all to live in. We need real change in society not visionary buzz phrases. I appreciate that it's hard to keep on top of everything for increasingly it feels like a 24/7 task to cut through the rubbish and the noise. Within this maze of competing stories and racket of anxious and angry voices it's comforting to find someone to blame. And the Right and many members of the so called 'moderate' Left, well supported by the MSM, have found their scapegoat. . . LOOK AT CORBYN, BLAME CORBYN they tell us. But before accepting the smears and perpetuating the negative views we should ALL ask why? Has this man spent his nearly three and a half decades as an MP feathering his own nest rather than fighting for his constituents and for others both at home and abroad?; has he argued for war and for cuts, rather than for peace and compassion?; did he promise us £350 million a week for the NHS if we voted to leave the EU?; did he orchestrate a leadership challenge so that we wasted a summer focused on internal Labour Party struggles when we should have been fighting the Tories? NO, NO, NO he did not. But he does sometimes stumble over his words a little and on occasion he has a problem with his collar and tie. What a bastard!
One of the most frustrating and frightening aspects of this particular distraction is that others on the Left cannot see, or do not care about, the hypocrisy of claiming that 'we have more in common than that which divides us' whilst at the same time engaging in very public personal, unconstructive attacks (on Corbyn and those that work closely with him or support him) often based on unproved or disproved 'facts'. These people should know better. They (often) do know better. As my writing gets more critical I appreciate I'm flirting with a future LP suspension. So be it. More of us need to add our voices to others that are already speaking out about the irony of those that seem more intent on (re)gaining personal rather than governmental position and power whilst arguing that for the current leadership governmental power is impossible. Here I agree, as I often do, with Roger C. Thus: 'Simple test, if you're a labour MP and you're not opposing the Tories then you're not doing your job. If you're a Labour MP and you're attacking your own party you're doing the Tories' job'. http://www.prole-star.co.uk/single-post/2017/01/04/TheTruthIs. In fact I'd go a little further and add: . . . if you're a Labour MP, or Labour Party member or supporter, and you're attacking your own party you're doing the Tories job.
Whilst we continue to be encourage to look elsewhere the NHS is still in crisis. To add to the list of others who have been blamed (including the elderly, inappropriate A and E attendees, junior doctors, GPs) we have recently been told (again) that this is the fault of health tourists. Another lie for in reality this accounts for something between 0.25% and 0.50% of NHS spend. Theresa May insisted this week that our NHS is 'not for sale'. And yet it seems that everyday we see more evidence to the contrary. The day of Trump's inauguration was a busy day for the Tories as another of their actions was to advertise a contract valued at £515.0 million designed to recruit transport services to help ease mounting transport problems in the NHS. This includes public and private sector bodies even though previous such contracts have been unsuccessful in terms of reliability and regulation:
The Private Ambulance Service in Essex claims that "all staff are trained to the relevant standards required". But some staff told the BBC they only had an hour's training to drive using blue emergency lights.
In April 2016, The Guardian reported that "hundreds of patients [in south east England] including people with cancer and kidney failure… missed important appointments for treatment". This was because the privately-run transport service was so unreliable. Some elderly patients waited more than five hours for an ambulance and many patients were left stranded at hospital due to [the] shambolic service. http://www.thecanary.co/2017/01/26/everyone-distracted-trump-uk-government-put-nhs-contract-worth-515m-sale/
We need to pay MORE attention to all this and to the many other examples of injustice and discrimination. We need to cut through the noise and challenge the misrepresentations. We need to take care not to get too distracted. We need to focus and we need to fight.
Posted by arwenackcerebrals at 05:03 1 comment:
Labels: Brexit, Conservative Government cuts, Corbyn, Labour Party, MSM, NHS, Roger C, secrets and lies, society, Steve Topple, Trump and May
The Minister's New Clothes | A completely unbeliev...
Happy Valentine's Day | Surveillance, Bullies, Xe...
Finding Tory OR Whoops There Goes Our NHS (and our...


Our parish delivers Meals on Wheels one week a month. The meals are prepared and ready for delivery at the Cheers Senior Center located at the corner of Highway 113 and South Bedford Street. We are looking for volunteers to help deliver meals to the homebound in the Georgetown area. Needed are retired couples, friends, family members who are willing to give about 1 ½ hours of their time one day per month. Please consider helping those in need. For more information, call Rosemary Dawicki at 856-7065. If no one answers, please leave a message.


text:
Military member charged in Illinois bowling alley shooting that left 3 dead, 3 wounded, police say
Ken DeCoster Kevin Haas Chris Green
Rockford Register Star
ROCKFORD, Ill. – A 37-year-old military member has been charged with multiple counts of first-degree murder after police say he gunned down multiple people at random in an Illinois bowling alley.
Three people were killed and three others were injured in the shooting, which broke out shortly before 7 p.m. local time Saturday at Don Carter Lanes, a complex with a bowling alley, bar and off-track betting site. Most of the complex was closed per COVID-19 safety protocol.
Duke Webb of Florida, who is an active U.S. Army member, is being held in the Winnebago County Jail without bond. He's scheduled to make his first court appearance Monday. He is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted first-degree murder.
He is charged with fatally shooting three men, ages 73, 65 and 69. He also is accused of shooting and wounding a 14-year-old boy, who was shot in the face and airlifted to a hospital in Madison; a 16-year-old female; and a 62-year-old man, who was in critical condition after undergoing surgery.
"We believe this was a completely random act, and there is no prior meeting or any kind of relationship between the suspect and any of the victims in this case," Police Chief Dan O'Shea said.
Webb was taken into custody within several minutes of officers arriving on the scene. He had attempted to conceal his identity and hide weapons from officers, O'Shea said. Two handguns were recovered from the scene. No officers fired their weapons while bringing Webb into custody.
"Most of the incident was captured on surveillance video from inside the business," O'Shea said. "The investigators have the surveillance videos and they'll go through those."
O'Shea said shots were fired inside and outside of the bowling alley in this city of 150,000 people, 90 miles west of Chicago.
Nashville explosion:500 tips come in as FBI investigates Christmas Day explosion in Nashville
Mayor Tom McNamara released a statement saying he was "angered and saddened" about the shooting.
"My thoughts are with the families of those who lost loved ones," McNamara said. "I'm also thinking of those who were injured and my hopes are with them for a quick and full recovery."
The shooting comes near the end of what's been the deadliest year on record in Rockford. There have now been 35 homicides in the city this year, the most of any year on records dating back to 1965. The next highest had been 31 recorded in 1996.
The city also endured 21% more violent crimes and 49% more shots fired through November this year, according to the latest police data released Thursday.
Contributing: John Bacon, USA TODAY
Follow reporters Kevin Haas and Chris Green on Twitter: @KevinMHaas, @ChrisFGreen

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


For all of his success as the NFL's winningest coach, Don Shula's overall record in the playoffs was barely above .500 at 19-17, and that's with Hall of Famers Johnny Unitas, Bob Griese and Dan Marino at quarterback for most of those games.
Jimmy Johnson, meanwhile, was 2-3 in the postseason in his time as the Miami Dolphins' head coach, with a 62-7 blowout loss at Jacksonville to kick him out the door.
What we're trying to say here, and what every Dolphins fan should understand, is that the playoffs are an exceedingly cruel and unpredictable environment, and that goes for everybody.
Adam Gase will try to communicate that to the Dolphins this week as they prepare to face Pittsburgh in Miami's first playoff game since 2008. Some things, however, just have to be experienced to be believed.
How could a rookie head coach be so sure? Consider how much Gase already has seen in his NFL career.
A playoff win in overtime with Tim Tebow, back when Gase was the Broncos' quarterbacks coach.
Two sudden dead ends when Peyton Manning was quarterbacking the Broncos but they lost their opening playoff game just the same.
Or how about 2013, the first of two seasons for Gase directly collaborating with Peyton on play-calling? Denver rolled all the way to the Super Bowl that year with the league's No. 1 offense in all the big categories only to get smashed 43-8 by Seattle.
Put it all together, counting Gase's time as an assistant in Detroit, San Francisco, Denver and Chicago, and he has been a part of three postseason wins in seven tries. Those were good teams, and sometimes even great, or they wouldn't have been in the playoffs in the first place. Still, it can get ugly in a hurry.
On the other sideline Sunday at Heinz Field will be Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. He's taken Pittsburgh to a couple of Super Bowls, sure, and won one at the age of 36, but overall Tomlin is 6-5 in postseason games. What's more, half of his playoff teams have lost their opening game.
It's another level, all right, and with confidence levels rising and falling with each crucial snap. No reason Miami should be counted out of anything, whether there's a ton of playoff experience on the roster or not.


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Arturo Campos, the designer of the award winning design Award Winning Almond Office of Architecture explains, The building is a new design of an old house where the respect of the almond tree became an important issue of the project. The almond tree preserved provides passive benefits such as shading, air circulation, and views. A glass facade was projected by designers placing it behind the tree. The building has three materials, steel, polished cement and glass. It is finished in polish cement. All spaces have openings looking to the patio. Views, sounds, lighting, and passive methods of natural comfort were used in the building. Office under the shade of an almond tree is like a small jewel..


I'd like to know where Pantelis is.
They blame Joachim for everything.
Nadeem died just a few hours after Gill died.
How did Ro know Roxana said that?
The hat on the desk is Nicolo's.
Jamie lives here all by himself.
Hector's father is not listed on his birth certificate.
We'll be at the hospital, visiting Rabin.
Kory complained that he didn't have enough time to read.
Do you know why I call you Marshall?
The picture of Mats that Jack had drawn took John's breath away.
I had no doubt that Morton would do what we asked.
Meeks and Sassan are planning to get a divorce.
Kyle, Jong, John and Alice are friends. They've known each other since they were children.
Sanand saw some books lying on the ground.
Teruyuki's unwillingness to help surprised Mickey.
I don't think Steen will change.
Straka doesn't have that problem.
I can't walk out on you and Cathy.
The light is on in Christopher's room.
Harris used to sing in a punk rock band.
Make sure to tell Floria what time to be here.
Douglas! How nice to see you again!
I'm looking for a present for Myron.


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Xbox Freedom
Xbox Mods
You are reading10 Great Xbox One Games on Amazon Cyber Monday Deals
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November 30, 2015. By Ehud Riven
10 Great Xbox One Games on Amazon Cyber Monday Deals
The holiday period and especially Cyber Monday is great for picking up video games at excellent prices, and Amazon are offering some excellent deals on Xbox One and crossover titles like Madden NFL 16, Gears of War, NBA 2K16 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
The Gears of War: Ultimate Edition five chapters of the campaign which were originally exclusively available in the PC version of the game and players who purchased the Ultimate Edition can participate in the multiplayer beta of Gears of War 4. It's available for $19.99 instead of $39.99.
The sixth installment in the driving simulation brings the most realistic wet driving conditions ever on a console or computer. It's available for $49.99 instead of $59.99
Madden is Madden, the ultimate NFL experience, becoming more realistic and fun to play each year. You can get it for $46.98 instead of $59.99.
Sticking with sports, NBA 2k16 is the next chapter in the leading NBA video game franchise, this time with Spike Lee helping bring the story section of the game to a whole new level. It's available for $49.99 instead of $59.99.
A more advanced and intelligent soccer simulation than ever before, FIFA 16 is also the first time Women's national teams are introduced to the game. You can get it for $46.98 instead of $59.99.
If you liked the movie and you love LEGO (who doesn't love Lego?!!!), this game is for you. It's on sale for $29.99 instead of $49.99.
There's nothing quite like beating your friends up without actually inflicting damage (unless they take video games very very seriously, which a lot of us do). MKX is available for $29.99 instead of $49.99.
The video game of the best action film in years does a good job of capturing the atmosphere and hectic pace of the movie, making for one exhilarating ride. It's on sale for $29.99 instead of $59.99.
One of the most immersive open world games in the last few years, Far Cry is one of those experiences that you always go back to once in awhile, long after completing the game. It's going for $14.98 instead of $39.99.
Even without playing the previous games or reading the books (highly recommended by the way), The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is simply one of the best video games in years, and picking up all the awards at the moment for 2015. It's available for $29.99 instead of $49.99.
There are more Cyber Monday deals worth checking out, like a bundle of 3 games with an Xbox One 1 TB that's sold for $349 instead of $399.99.
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Basic Brewing #2 will break down the six basic steps that are listed below for actually brewing the beer.
Keep in mind that brewing the beer will take at about 2.5 hours to complete. Once you have picked out the beer style and bought the ingredients for the malt extract recipe you will be ready for brew day. Also note that all hops and yeast should be kept in the refrigerator until used.
This is one of the most important steps in homebrewing, keeping your equipment clean and sanitized is an absolute necessity. To do so fill your fermenting bucket with water and the recommended amount of sanitizing solution, I use Beer-Brite. Then place anything that touches the cooled wort into the water. This should include but is not limited to the stirring spoon, funnel, strainers, hop bag, airlock(with rubber stopper), siphon, plastic hoses, and even the lid to the fermenter. Let all of these items sit in the water until about 15 minutes before use.
This step is not 100% necessary in extract brewing, but really helps in adding uniqueness and additional flavor to the overall beer. Essentially what you are doing in this step is soaking the grains in about 155 degree water for about 30 minutes to extract the necessary sugars from the grains.
Start off by buying the recommended grains in the recipe from your local brew shop or online. Have the grains milled; this can usually be done onsite at the brew shop or using a rolling pin at home. Pour two gallons of water into your brew pot and bring the temperature to exactly 155 degrees. Once you get tired of using store bought spring water, check out our article on building a water filter for brewing, it gets the job done at just under $40.
Put the grains into the mesh bag and hang them into the water, just like if you were making tea. Make sure you keep the water constant between 158 and 152 degrees, let the grains soak for 30 minutes. While doing this, take your malt extract package and soak it in warm water (this helps when pouring it in the next step). After 30 minutes of steeping remove the grains. Now move on to adding the malt extract.
At this point your malt extract package has soaked in warm water for a bit and your grains have been steeped. Next, add two more gallons of water along with the malt extract and bring it all to a boil stirring so that the extract does not burn on the bottom of the pot. Stir until extract is essentially dissolved. Once you have a light rolling boiling, make sure your burner is not set too high, and move on to adding the hops. Keep in mind the liquid will foam up at the top of the pot. Occasionally this foam may boil over this is called a "hot break," when it does cut the heat of completely and let it settle; repeat as necessary.
Once you have added the malt extract and have the boil going; it is time to add the hops. I prefer using a hop bag, this can be purchased at you local home brew store or online. Hops are usually added two to three times during the boil. First, you will add the bittering hops, check the exact recipe for type and amount, and let them cook for 45 minutes. At the 45 minute mark you will add the second round of hops, called the aroma hops, and they will cook for 15 minutes. Note that other flavor additions may be added at his time including coriander, orange zest, cloves, and other spices depending on the recipe. After waiting the final 60 minutes, cut off the burner and get ready to cool the liquid (now officially called "wort").
The wort must be cooled to yeast pitching temperature (65 to 80 degrees) after the boil as quickly as possible. You can do this in a few different ways, I have a copper wort chiller pictured below that I use now, check out the advance section of the site for more details on it. Another more basic way to do this is by placing the pot into a sink or bathtub and immerse it in ice water with added salt if possible. I used the sink, it seemed to be a bit more efficient. While the wort is cooling down make sure to check back on your yeast rehydration to stir it when the time comes. Another tip that helps cool quicker in a sink would be to move the ice water around the pot and not let it just sit there. Once the wort is cooled measure its OG with a hydrometer, this will be helpful in calculating the beers alcohol content later.
Keep in mind that you do not want any contaminants or cooling water to get into the pot. Once the wort temperature has reached 80 degrees move on to fermenting the beer, Basic Brewing #3 – Fermenting the Beer.


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Gabriel Campana war ein französischer Hersteller von Automobilen.

Unternehmensgeschichte
Das Unternehmen aus Paris begann 1912 mit der Produktion von Automobilen. Der Markenname lautete Gabriel. 1914 endete die Produktion.

Fahrzeuge

Angeboten wurden drei Modelle. Dies waren der 9/12 CV mit 1943 cm³ Hubraum mit 75 mm Bohrung und 110 mm Hub, der 13/18 CV mit 2722 cm³ Hubraum und der 20/30 CV mit 4500 cm³ Hubraum. Alle Fahrzeuge waren mit Vierzylindermotoren, Vierganggetrieben und Kardanantrieb ausgestattet. Der Radstand vom 9/12 CV betrug 2530 mm, die Spurweite 1300 mm. Das Fahrzeuggewicht betrug 700 kg. Die Bereifung hatte die Größe 815 × 105. Der Verkaufspreis in Frankreich lag bei 6500 Franc.

Literatur

 George Nick Georgano (Chefredakteur): The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile. Volume 2: G–O. Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, Chicago 2001, ISBN 1-57958-293-1. (englisch)
 George Nick Georgano: Autos. Encyclopédie complète. 1885 à nos jours. Courtille, Paris 1975. (französisch)

Einzelnachweise

Ehemaliger Pkw-Hersteller (Frankreich)
Ehemaliges Unternehmen (Paris)
Gegründet 1912

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Selected Articles Review
New COVID-19 subvariant rising across the country. Here's what we know
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is tracking a new COVID-19 subvariant that is spreading rapidly across the country.
XBB 1.5 is a subvariant of the omicron variant. The CDC said it is now estimated to account for about 40% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. as of Dec. 31, according to the agency's data tracker.
[TRENDING: Palm Bay neighborhood cleared after shooting investigation; 1 sent to hospital, police say | New laws take effect across Florida as 2023 begins | Become a News 6 Insider]
Dr. Barbara Mahon, director of the CDC's proposed Coronavirus and Other Respiratory Viruses Division, told CBS News that the agency expects the strain to dominate the Northeast as it spreads across the country.
It's not exactly known where the subvariant came from, except that it is a recombinant of previous subvariants that seems to bind better to cells, allowing for greater spread.
"There's no suggestion at this point that XBB.1.5 is more severe. But I think it is a really good time for people to do the things that we have been saying for quite a while are the best ways to protect themselves," Mahon told CBS News.
The CDC's COVID-19 Data Tracker shows XBB 1.5 accounts for an estimated 19% of cases in the southeastern United States. However, it accounts for over 70% of the cases in the Northeast. Puerto Rico is also seeing higher cases linked to XBB 1.5 as well.
Get today's headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily:
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Home » Selected Articles Review » New COVID-19 subvariant rising across the country. Here's what we know


Millions of cases of the Zika virus, with its potential to cause deformities in newborns, might come to the Americas over the next year, World Health Organization officials said Thursday.
WHO has called an emergency committee meeting for Monday in Geneva, Switzerland, to come up with health guidelines and a coordinated action plan.
Health officials said Thursday in a conference call with reporters that they don't have exact numbers related to Zika, but based on the spread of a similar mosquito-borne disease Dengue Fever, there could be 3 million to 4 million cases of the Zika virus, either detected or undetected, in the Americas over a one-year span.
The speed of the virus' spread could be caused by a population without immunity to the disease and the potential vast area of the spread from the southern United States to northern Argentina.
The virus is spread by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which typically live in tropical and subtropical regions in the world. They also are known to spread dengue fever, chikungunya and yellow fever.
The Zika virus can cause fever, rash, joint pain or red eyes. Rarely, is hospitalization needed, and carriers often don't feel any symptoms.
The Zika virus was first discovered in 1947 in the Zika forest of Uganda, Chan said. It mostly affected monkeys and sometimes humans. The mild symptoms did not cause alarm.
But lately, with the unexplained outbreak of babies in Brazil with microcephaly, which causes birth defects of an unusually small brain and head, the virus came to the attention of health workers as a possible cause.
"The possible links, only recently suspected, have rapidly changed the risk profile of Zika from a mild threat to one of alarming proportions," said Chan.
The lack of immunity and the absence of a vaccine make it even more alarming, she said.
The U.S. government has begun researching a possible vaccine, but it could take years to develop.
For the time being, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, has cautioned pregnant women from traveling to Zika-affected areas.
The CDC and WHO have more information about the virus on their websites.


This beautiful teak sideboard features plenty of storage options behind wonderful natural teak sliding doors. Designed by Poul Jessen for Viby J. PMJ. The unique shape of this vintage piece features tapered legs, carved pulls, and dovetail construction. The center section offers 4 drawers in the center while the side storage sections offer sliding glass doors. Original manufacturer's label intact on back if the unit. The legs are mage out of beech wood in order to handle the size and weight of the unit. Hard to find units of this size. great centerpiece of any room or space. Please see all photos to ensure you know what you are buying. We include FREE SHIPPING in the listing price. Some exceptions apply, so please read the full shipping details below.
Condition report: Near mint condition. New veneer surface added on the side. Most edges have been restored. Glass is in mint condition. All drawers intact. Mirror interior and shelves intact. 9.5/10 condition wow!
xceptions to free shipping: East Coast ($100 flat fee) Overseas, incl. HI & AL (location dependent, but shipping charged at cost) This item will be shipped through our professional and fully insured shipping company. We will need to confirm your shipping address and phone number so the driver can coordinate a date and time with you and deliver your item directly to your desired address. Upon shipment, we will be unable to provide a tracking number, but I will provide you the courier's contact information for you to call and check on your item. I cannot ship the item without your communication. Processing takes about 7-10 days, while delivery should take between 1-3 weeks. We also offer pickup at our main office in Sacramento, CA for a discounted rate.


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Q: Headers within booklet template Maybe this is trivial, but I'm not able to set a customized header within the booklet package.
Here my code:
\documentclass[a4paper]{article}
\usepackage{geometry}
\geometry{centering}
\geometry{width =108.5mm,height=170mm}
\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\usepackage[noprint]{booklet}
%\usepackage[print,1to1]{booklet}%
%\nofiles
\pagespersignature{4}
\fancyhead{} % clear all header fields
\fancyhead[RO,LE]{\textbf{My special header}}
\begin{document}
    \setpdftargetpages
    \clearpage page1
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    \clearpage page4
\end{document}

How can I make the headers appear?

A: \pagestyle{fancy} is missing.
\documentclass[a4paper]{article}
\usepackage{geometry}
\geometry{centering}
\geometry{width =108.5mm,height=170mm}
\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\usepackage[noprint]{booklet}
%\usepackage[print,1to1]{booklet}%
%\nofiles
\pagespersignature{4}
\fancyhead{} % clear all header fields
\fancyhead[RO,LE]{\textbf{My special header}}
\begin{document}
    \pagestyle{fancy}
    \setpdftargetpages
    \clearpage page1
    \clearpage page2
    \clearpage page3
    \clearpage page4
\end{document}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Hi! Thank you so much for all your recipes, I'm an expat leaving in Denmark and your blog has had been a huge help to blend in, at least with the local cuisine and Danish traditions.
Just one question for this recipie, I can't find meringue powder here, what can I use instead?
Andrea, since you cannot find meringue powder try using this instead. Beat 40 grams of confectioner's sugar with 15 grams pasteurized egg whites on high for 5 minutes. The glaze should be thick enough for the beaters to leaving ribbons in the glaze when turned off. If need be, add more confectioners sugar. This should work for you. Merry Christmas.
A small zoo, that's too funny 😀 My favorite are the fox and the squirrel since they have special meaning to our family. Happy baking!
What kind of syrup do you use?(I need an American equivalent or something found in a good food specialty shop.) Thanks!
I use a danish dark syrup which you can see a picture of in this post here. https://mydanishkitchen.com/2011/12/22/brunkager-ginger-cookies/ Also I talk a little about the syrup substitution in this post.
I've never added whole almonds to the dough, and Mom always cut them into diamond shapes after we rolled out the dough. We also made rounds, but used a cookie cutter to cut them out. Then we would 'pynte' them with slices of almonds before baking.
Those look so good, just as soon as Thanksgiving is done, I'm going to start baking. I'm making some Vaniljekranse this year, using ground almonds. I can't wait.
I think I have to make some of those this year. I haven't had them in years. I have my klejner dough made though, and bought lots of butter this year so I can make a few batches of Fransk Vafler. They're very popular here.


The house is on 2 floors on a traffic-free road right in the heart of this medieval hill top town in southern Le Marche. It is c. 100 square metres in size and provides clean, modern, and comfortable accommodation in a perfect location for exploring both the coast and the mountains of this beautiful region. Its position at the upper end of the historic town centre means that your balcony and your main bedroom command spectacular countryside views with the sea in the distance. You are close to all the amenities and only 30 minutes from the Adriatic beaches and the Sibillini Mountain National park. The house has recently been renovated and redecorated. It also has new furniture and a new bathroom with bath/shower over.
Bedroom 1 with king-size double bed, storage and countryside and sea views.
Bedroom 2 with twin bunk beds and chest of drawers.
Interconnecting room with extra single bed/cot if required.
Bathroom fully tiled in onyx tiles with Italian glass inlay, bath/shower over, wc and handbasin with shower socket and illuminated mirror.
Modern kitchen/diner with new fridge/freezer, gas hob, dishwasher, microwave and electric oven.
The 2 bedrooms upstairs are separated by a reading room with extra single bed or cot facility as required.
Personal linen is included, but please bring your own beach towels.
We are flexible about arrival and departure days, to take advantage of low-cost flights, and we are happy to advise on flights and carhire.
The house is only 30 minutes from the blue-flag beaches of the Adriatic, and approximately the same distance from the Sibillini National park for mountain walks and activities. There are local pizzerias and restaurants within walking distance. The town has a Cathedral, 2 museums, a weekly market and local shops.
Long-term lets may also be available, please ask.
Fly lowcost to Ancona or Pescara, both around 90 m inutes away. Rome is a wonderful drive over the mountains. Do contact us for other options such as train, car hire etc.


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New Staten Island Frog Species Could Have Been Named After Yankee Stadium
by Katie Toth
Who knew this frog would be hiding in plain sight? Brian Curry via Rutgers University
A new species of frog discovered on Staten Island just might have been named in honor of its New Yorker status.
The Rana kauffeldi, or Atlantic Coast Leopard Frog, was given its own name and a unique description by biologists in the scientific journal Plos One last week. But the journey to its official name didn't happen overnight.
The frog was first noticed six years ago on Staten Island by Rutgers scientist Jeremy Feinberg, who became interested in its distinct mating call and decided to study it further.
"Before this, there were three known species of frogs in the area," says Feinberg's colleague Bradley Shaffer, a professor at UCLA. The two have studied the species together. "We were looking at these peculiar frogs Jeremy had gotten and listened to. The question was, 'Which one are they?' "
But when the frog's genetic makeup was tested at the lab, it didn't jibe with any of the commonly recognized species in the area. By 2012, the scientists still hadn't found a match. "Based on the genetic data, we realized, it looks like there's a new species here," Shaffer says.
But in order to give the guy his own name, they had to be sure nobody else had found the frog first.
That led to a lengthy process not only of observing and cataloging the frog's features and behaviors, but also combing through records to find out whether the species had been discovered previously.
"It's actually a pretty grueling process," says Feinberg. "You're not looking at these names out there but these old rejected names…that might completely fit [our frog] like a puzzle piece. In some cases I was literally using photocopies of books in the 1750s…to make sure we were OK."
Over the past 250 years in the Northeast, as many as five different species names for leopard frogs have been floated, according to one of the scientific papers. For a while, scientists thought there were two species of leopard frog in the area. Later, some insisted there was only one.
"There's been a long history of confusion about names that are applied to frogs in the New York area," says Shaffer. "A lot of times, over a hundred years, the specimen is lost — or it's in such lousy shape that you can't tell whether the dead, shriveled frog is the same frog as what you're looking at."
After talking with other frog specialists, Shaffer says, "given how confusing it's all been with this group of frogs, rather than kind of guessing whether it might be one of those, we thought it would be more responsible to give it a description and start on a new name."
Potential cognomens came rolling in.
One (sort of) suggestion? Rana yankee — as in, Yankee Stadium.
"That was a joke," says Feinberg. "When we first discovered this frog [in 2012], we had a paper that had more response than this one. The New York Times did a big story that got tons of pickup. And one thing got lost in translation."
Feinberg says the scientists were asked about the range of the frog's location. At the time, they thought that it was spread out from western Connecticut to southern New Jersey, so they pointed to Yankee Stadium as the region's center point. After that, Feinberg says, the the team started to talk about making the animal's common name the "Yankee Leopard Frog."
Months later, they were reading a report in European media that said a new species of frog had been found — one that was discovered "in Yankee Stadium."
Feinberg chuckles. "We were laughing our asses off," he remembers. "We thought, 'That's crazy!' "
Then the team began to ask: Why not own it? The Yankee idea started getting more traction.
"We thought that would be so cool, it would represent New York with such pride," says Feinberg. Excitement bubbled about whether the team and local athletes would adopt the frog as their own — "If we named it that, they would look weird if they didn't.
"We were kind of excited," says Feinberg. "The frog would be a conservation icon."
One co-author even sent out a joke email, he remembers, suggesting to forget about the common name and put the Yankee tribute in the frog's scientific Latin name.
Then the researchers learned that the frog lived as far away as Virginia and North Carolina. "I think the second it crossed the Mason-Dixon line, we realized it's not going to work anymore," said Feinberg. Their Yankee dreams dashed, the frog was ultimately called the Atlantic Coast Leopard Frog.
But the amphibian does still represent a little bit of hometown pride. Scientists ultimately used the Latin name to honor Carl Kauffeld, a Staten Island scientist whom Schaffer calls "a bit of an unsung hero."
Kauffeld, who died in 1974, was best known for his work popularizing science with the masses: He was a popular science writer and the director of the Staten Island Zoo. "As a kid raised in Connecticut, I read his books because I was always into reptiles and amphibians," remembers Shaffer. "But he also was a good scientist."
Kauffeld wrote a proposal in 1937 — when most scientists thought there were only two species of leopard frog on Staten Island — suggesting that there might be a third. That species was likely the same frog that Feinberg and his colleagues later discovered. Kauffeld was smacked down by major scientific figures at the time, who were actually only recognizing one such species.
"He tried to make things move forward," says Feinberg, "and he actually created retrograde movement. I was thinking about which naturalist had the strongest impression on me…I really wanted to honor somebody. But once I read the Kauffeld paper, it was so clearly, beyond all others, the most appropriate."
But with the exception of biologists like Feinberg and Shaffer, few have ever known who Kauffeld was. Until now, perhaps.
So is the UCLA professor willing to admit New York's superiority to Los Angeles now that our city can claim the new amphibian?
"Well, I believe to do that we'd have to tally up all the new species of vertebrates discovered in each city in the last 30 years, and I believe L.A. would win," Shaffer says. "I'll go toe to toe with anybody on that."
More:Science


text:
the TV addict
TV News, Previews, Spoilers and Reviews
Review: BODY OF PROOF (Alternate Title: How not to produce a procedural)
March 29, 2011 By theTVaddict 6 Comments
It takes a special type of procedural to entice us to tune into a show that we'd otherwise ignore. Unfortunately for BODY OF PROOF, ABC's latest entrant into an already overcrowded marketplace, the only thing special about it is the astounding amount of disdain it seems to have for its audience.
From its overtly formulaic write-by-numbers nature, to its insistence on beating you over the head with its premise, BODY OF PROOF just about encapsulates everything that is wrong with the way modern day network television works. Almost to the point where we encourage you to watch tonight's premiere in order to see just how little ABC respects its audience's intelligence. But before we get into examining everything that is truly wrong with this show, let's start with what is right.
Dana Delany is proof positive that unless your name is Meryl Streep, television is where it's at for woman of a certain age. As Dr. Megan Hunt, a brilliant yet cantankerous Brain Surgeon who is forced to work as a Medical Examiner [ME] following a horrific car crash that leaves her incapable of operating, Delany single-handedly steals the show. Smart, sexy, hard-nosed yet vulnerable, it's little mystery as to how the small screen staple has managed to carve out a career for herself that has lasted the better part of three decades.
Also solid are Delany's supporting cast including partner Peter (Obligatory future love interest played by yet another Aussie import Nicholas Bishop), skeptical old school police detective (John Carroll Lynch) and her beautiful bombshell of a boss (the always welcome former numerical hottie Jeri "Seven of Nine" Ryan). Unfortunately where things get ugly are when the character's start to open their mouths. And therein lies the problem.
It's one thing to properly communicate the premise of a show (Read: Dr. Hunt, brilliant, hard to work with, pretty much the female equivalent of Dr. House or the Mentalist), it is another thing entirely to repeat said premise over and over and over again. Not only does every single scene feel the need to inexplicably reiterate Dr. Hunt's current predicament (Again: She misses her previous life as a surgeon, regrets how her workaholic ways damaged her relationship with her 12-year old daughter who is currently residing with her bitter ex-husband who has sole custody and most importantly of all… plays by her on rules!) it does so with the clunkiest of clunky dialogue. So much so that after 44 minutes of enduring one-liners like "She [Megan] seems to care about dead people more than she ever cared about the living," "I know a lot of ME's [Medical Examiners] and none of them are a big as a pain in the ass as you are," and "You might try playing nice once in a while." we can pretty much guarantee that you'll be yelling to your TV… WE GET IT!
Suffice to say, TV audiences deserve better, and so to does star Dana Delany. Grade: D
BODY OF PROOF premieres Tuesday May 29th at 10PM on ABC (CityTV in Canada)
Filed Under: ABC
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General Synod Chatham 2004 of the Canadian Reformed Churches existed for two weeks (Feb.10 – 21, 2004). The delegates had been chosen by regional Synods East and West, but most certainly felt themselves appointed by God to deliberate and decide on all the issues put before them. Surely each individual member felt themselves inadequate to deal with such weighty matters but yet the Lord gave them collectively the strength and wisdom to observe, consider, and make recommendations for adoption concerning many matters of interest and concern to the whole federation of churches in Canada and the United States.
Based on the interim Acts that were provided on the internet we want to provide our readers with a general overview of the decisions taken at this synod and provide some editorial comment at the same time.
To start off with we want to deal with the modis operandi (the method of operation) of synods in general and thus also the most recent one. As already mentioned above, Canadian Reformed synods operate by observing incoming material, considering the material and by making recommendations about the material. After this process has been completed a vote is held and the recommendations are either adopted or defeated. By using this method it is not always clear on what basis a decision has been made.
It is of particular importance that decisions taken at a major assembly should be based on solid grounds, on God's holy Word. Often it is also helpful to use the Confessions and the Church Order and/or even the Forms adopted by the Churches, to provide grounds for decisions. In that way the Churches and their members can be informed and even educated about the matter(s) being dealt with.
In a time when much emphasis is placed on Ecclesiastical Fellowship and its benefits, the Canadian Reformed churches could do well to learn from two federations with which it has had the longest relationships (the Dutch and Australian Churches) where the modis operandi is specifically used to provide grounds for all decisions.
One of the first decisions made by Synod Chatham was to reverse a decision of the previous synod, Synod Neerlandia. The matter at hand was the relatively minor matter concerning the number of delegates that should make up a General Synod. In the past the rule has been that each regional synod would delegate four ministers and four elders to synod, thus producing a general synod of sixteen (16) delegates. At Synod Neerlandia the overture of Regional Synod – East to increase the number of delegates to six ministers and six elders from each regional synod was defeated. As a result the church at Guelph appealed this decision to Synod Chatham.
It is interesting to note how Synod Chatham dealt with this appeal in its considerations. Having first 'observed' the content of the appeal from Guelph it 'considered' five aspects.
3 The third 'consideration' reads, "The argument of Synod Neerlandia 'that General Synods are not representative assemblies …but that Reformed Church Polity works with the principle of delegation does not exclude the possible increase in numbers of delegates." 4 At the same time Synod 'considered' that the Church at Guelph did not prove that a major shift in direction can be avoided by increasing the number of delegates to such an assembly. 5 Finally it was 'considered' that Guelph was correct in observing that it is unlikely that more regional synods will be added to the two thatpresently exist. Thus, the number of delegates to synods will not increase in that manner. After these five Considerations, Synod made two recommendations. The first was to rescind the decision of Neerlandia to leave the number of delegates as they were and the second was to increase the number of delegates to six ministers and six elders from each regional synod. We have very little argument with the end result of this decision as it is a minor matter in our view, but the point of this detailed review is to point out the failure of the modis operandi. For who can say why the number of delegates waschanged? Was it because it is unlikely that there will be more regional synods in the foreseeable future? Was it because there is an 'indirect' proportional representation when delegates are chosen regionally? But that consideration was contrasted by the following one. In fact, if one reads through the considerations the opposite con-clusion from what was finally de-cided could easily be expected. If someone wanted to appeal this decision what would they appeal? They cannot really appeal the recommendation as it is merely a statement, a decision without reasons. An appeal could be launched against one of the considerations, but how is one to know that it was the basis for the decision. Perhaps a following synod might agree with an appeal against a consideration but not overturn the recommendation or the decision to adopt the recommendation because there is no proof that the decision was based on any one or all of the considerations.
It would be far better and much more edifying if the decision was based on certain grounds. Perhaps the real reason the decision was made to increase the number of delegates is that at least half of the federation was in favor of doing so. Perhaps delegates felt that since the federation has grown in membership that the request to increase the delegates to synod was reasonable and acceptable. It is certainly not clear from the Considerations why the decision was made to increase the number of delegates.
We hope that the regulations for synods will soon be changed to fall in line with those of the churches in Australia and the Netherlands so that the Biblical/Church Orderly grounds are provided along with the decisions.
Due to the illness of Dr. J. de Jong Synod needed to appoint a professor to the Theological College. Although technically it is correct to say that Synod, upon the advice of the Board of Governors, who propose a name on the advice of the Senate of the Theological College, appoint a minister to the position of professor at the Theological College, the process for these appointments leaves much to be desired. We hope to elaborate more about this at another time.
At Synod Chatham, Dr. A. J. de Visser was appointed to and accepted the position of Professor of Diaconiology and Ecclesiology. Together with all the churches we pray that the Lord will bless this brother as he takes up this new position with weighty responsibility in the midst of the Church of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Five churches and an individual member sent in appeals against the decision of Synod Neerlandia to the establish Ecclesiastical Fellowship with the OPC. [The appeal of the individual member was denied based on the rule that a member should address his/her consistory about an appeal about a synod's decision.] The focus of this review does not allow for a detailed review of the appeals and the considerations pertaining to them. Suffice to report that Synod Chatham decided that Synod Neerlandia 2001 did not err when it took the decision to establish Ecclesiastical Fellowship with the OPC.
One church appealed two components of Phase Two [adopted by Synod Neerlandia] of the unity efforts with the URCNA. The two components under appeal were the requirement to accept one another's attestations and the openness of the pulpit to ministers from one another's federations. This church also noted the confusion between the terms Ecclesiastical Fellowship, 'sister churches' and Phase Two. For some these terms are synonymous and for others they are not.
Synod 'considered' that if Synod Neerlandia would have used the term Ecclesiastical Fellowship in place of Phase Two, the appealing church would not have had any dif- ficulties. Therefore it decided to declare that Phase Two is the equivalent of Ecclesiastical Fellowship as it is maintained under the adopted rules (Acts of Synod Lincoln 1992, Art. 50, IV.B.1-7). At the same time, Phase Two clearly includes the purpose that the churches involved move forward from Phase Two (Ecclesiastical Fellowship) to Phase Three (federative union). Hence the appeal was denied.
We empathize with the appealing church with regard to the confusion in terminology. Some time ago an article has appeared in Reformed Polemics (Vol.8, No.5) that deals with the terms Ecclesiastical Fel lowship and sister churches.
In essence this appeal deals with the contention that "some formulations in the Westminster Standards are not in agreement with the Three Forms of Unity, 'and therefore should be reckoned as divergencies that must be resolved outside the bounds of Ecclesiastical Fellowship.'" The example of the Scriptural understanding of the covenant was given as an example. It was felt that Ecclesiastical Fellowship opens the door to false preaching on this topic.
Synod decided that this was more correctly an appeal against a decision made by synod Lincoln and pointed out that both synod Abbotsford and synod Fergus denied appeals concerning the same matter.
The appealing church provided a history of correspondence that indicates that they properly took the Church Orderly way in dealing with the fact that the Church at Surrey maintained the status of Rev. Boersema while he became a member of the OPC. This event took place prior to the churches having established Ecclesiastical Fellowship with the OPC.
Synod decided that the appealing church is technically correct but that the Church at Surrey was justified in providing an exception in Rev. Boersema's case.
A large portion of Synod's time was taken up with correspondence, appeals, speeches and reports regarding federations with which the Canadian Reformed churches have Ecclesiastical Fellowship. At this time we will not go into detail about any of the specific federations with which Ecclesiastical Fellowship has been established but merely give a quick overview of the decisions made with regard to each.
In every case Synod Chatham expressed appreciation for the fact that the federations with which the Canadian Reformed Churches have Ecclesiastical Fellowship continue to uphold Scripture and that Ecclesiastical Fellowship ought to be maintained.
Thankfulness was expressed regarding the positive developments within our contact with the RCUS. At the same time the churches were encouraged to pursue actively our Ecclesiastical Fellowship with the RCUS via pulpit exchanges, visiting RCUS churches, and via invitations to youth camps and conferences held in the various church communities.
Contact with this federation has been ongoing for some years. From time to time an overture has been sent by one or other church to establish Ecclesiastical Fellowship with this federation. At this synod there was also a letter from a church with such a recommendation. Synod, however decided not to do so, but rather to continue the mandate provided by Synod Neerlandia. In short, that mandate is to work towards the establishment of Ecclesiastical Fellowship by discussing the differences between the Three Forms of Unity and the Westminster Standards as found in the "Evaluation of Divergences" received by Synod 1986.
The ERQ is a very small federation and thus has limited human resources for this kind of work. For this reason both Neerlandia and now Chatham prioritized the mandate by indicating that pulpit supervision, fencing of the Lord's table and confessional accountability should receive the highest priority.
Seeing that the Canadian Reformed Churches already have contact with the Korean Presbyterian Churches (Kosin) in Korea, Synod Neerlandia considered it logical and wise to agree with an overture to seek contact with that same federation in Canada and the United States. The Committee for Contact with Churches in the Americas (CCCA) had difficulty establishing contact with representatives of this church federation and recommended that their mandate be discontinued. Synod, however, was of a different mind and adopted the recommendation that it decide to mandate the CCCA to contact the North American Kosin federation with the help of the churches in Korea.
Synod declared that at this time there is no reason to pursue actively an ecclesiastical relationship with the IPCM as the committee was unable to establish meaningful contact.
As Synod Neerlandia had mandated the CCCA to send (at their own discretion) an observer to future meetings of NAPARC to investigate its usefulness and possible membership in it, the committee provided a report. It presented history, membership, basis, purpose and function of NAPARC. The Committee suggested to Synod that membership might be useful to provide support to the OPC and the RCUS who are already members of NAPARC. At the same time it would also help to express greater unity with the ERQ.
Synod, however, agreed with one of the churches who sent a letter with regard to the Committee's report. They considered their submission to be correct when it questioned the need for another organization beside the ICRC as there is significant duplication in the purposes, function and membership of both groups.
In addition to continuing the relationship of Ecclesiastical Fellowship with this federation Synod recommended these churches as worthy of financial assistance to aid them with their extensive mission work and in their labors among the concerned in other church federations.
The Board of Governors of the Theological College in Hamilton was also invited to seek ways to offer assistance for theological training. The Committee on Relations with Churches Abroad (CRCA) was also mandated to request the reasons why the FRCSA have revoked their relationship with the Korean Presbyterian Churches (Kosin).
The CRCA recommended to Synod that contact with the Free Church Continuing be discontinued and that the mandate to discuss divergences with the Scottish churches should be rescinded. However Synod adopted its own recommendation to decide that due to the lack of clarity about the division between the Free Church and the Free Church Continuing the CRCA ought to be mandated to continue to monitor the situation in the hope of gaining greater clarity. Synod also mandated the committee to continue the discussion on the existing differences in confession and church polity.
As part of the considerations about the recommendations of the CRCA the following was noted: "The CRCA is correct that Synod Neerlandia brought something new into the contact with the FCS. Synod Neerlandia did consider, however, that previous synods have consistently declared that the differences between the Westminster Confessions and the Three Forms of Unity need to be discussed within the bounds of Ecclesiastical Fellowship.
The suggestion that the proportion of Psalms and hymns in the Gereformeerd Kerkboek should reflect the importance – and even the priority – of the Psalms.
The consideration that the decisions of Leusden and Zuidhorn about the fourth commandment are based on unconvincing argumentation.
An address to the next Synod of the Dutch churches to the effect that their recent decisions pertaining to the Marriage Form weakens the Scriptural teaching about marriage.
Synod agreed with the CRCA about concerns regarding the proportion of Psalms and Hymns and mandated the committee to convey these concerns to the Dutch churches. The CRCA was also mandated to study the results of the deputyship "Fourth Commandment and the Sunday" and report to the churches.
In addition, the discussion with the Dutch churches regarding the new Marriage Form is to continue. In its considerations, Synod Chatham did leave open the possibility that some change in wording does not necessarily have to mean a diminishing of the Scriptural teaching. At the same time it warned about the wording used to describe the propagating of children.
The committee was also urged to seek clarity into the legitimacy of the recent "Vrijmaking" and to monitor further developments. At the same time the committee is to inform the Dutch churches as well as those who have liberated themselves that they have our prayerful support. The Canadian Reformed churches were also urged to remember both groups in their public prayers.
It was decided to maintain membership in the ICRC and to send delegates to the next conference scheduled for 2005 in South Africa.
In addition the CRCA is to inform the Secretary of the ICRC that the Constitution Art. IV.1.a. should be left unchanged since there are no new grounds.
As not much new has developed in the contact with this federation Synod included in the mandate of the Committee for Promotion of Ecclesiastical Unity (CPEU) to specifically address with the OCRC whether it shares a mutual desire for federative unity with the CanRC.
A sub-committee of the CPEU was established at the previous synod to pursue theological training for the ministry in a proposed united federation with the URCNA. This subcommittee was called the Theological Education Committee. The committee and its mandate were extended, but with the reminder that at least one federational theological school at which the board of governors, the professors and teaching staff are appointed by synod should be maintained.
A second sub-committee of the CPEU was established at the previous synod to deal with a proposed revised Church Order of a united federation. Synod continued its mandate for another three years and made specific mention of the need to continue in the evaluation of the differences between the current church orders of the federations in light of the Scriptural and Confessional principles and patterns of church government of the Church Order of Dort; to propose a common church order in the line of the Church Order of Dort; to formulate a draft proposal of regulations for General Synod; and, to provide the CPEU with a report in sufficient time for them to produce the comprehensive report for Synod in a timely fashion.
A third committee involved with the CPEU in contact toward federative unity is the Common Songbook committee. Our Committee for the Book of Praise serves in this capacity. Synod received a progress report of the work of this committee. In one of its 'considerations' synod encouraged the churches to address this committee directly with suggestions, etc. In the renewed mandate for this committee Synod made particular note of the need to continue to produce a songbook that contains the complete Anglo-Genevan Psalter and other suitable metrical versions of the Psalms, including hymns that also meet the standard of faithfulness to the Scripture and the Reformed Confessions.
Synod mandated the CPEU to work closely with its sub-committees and to present a single comprehensive report that has been prepared jointly with the CERCU of the URNCA to the next Synod. They are to include a recommendation for a definite time frame for federative unity.
A discussion on the 'Framework Hypothesis' and the support that this theory has within the URCNA have been added to the mandate for the CPEU.
The mandate for the CPEU with regard to this federation is to continue meeting with them with a view to pursuing Ecclesiastical Fellowship, while at the same time promoting and maintaining the desire for federative unity, discussing whatever obstacles there may be on this path. A suggestion was made to make use of a document entitled "Foundational Principles of Reformed Church Government". This is the same document that is being used as a working document in the unity discussions with the URCNA.
In addition to the report of the CCCA, Synod also received letters from seven churches in the federation. In summary, the report of the committee indicated that they had met only one time since the last Synod. Further the committee expressed the opinion that many of the issues it was mandated to discuss with the OPC had already been dealt with.
The churches that sent in letters, on the other hand, felt that they had not received much about the issues being discussed. At most they recall the Acts of Synod Burlington 1986.
They are also disappointed about the lack of meetings between our committee and the one from the OPC. They ask that the committee receive a more specific mandate regarding goals and items for discussion.
Synod decided to be more specific in its mandate to the CCCA when it decided to refer to its 'considerations' in its decision. Specifically it referred to the consideration that the goal of the discussions should be to determine whether the unity of the faith regarding the church, the covenant and the sacraments is adequately and faithfully expressed in our confessional standards. The focus of the discussions should be two-fold: on the one hand, the scriptural faithfulness in the confessions and, on the other hand, the actual application in the reality of church-life, i.e. how the principles are put into practice, or should be put into practice.
With respect to the Greja-Greja Reformasi di Indonesia and the Greja-Greja Reformasi Calninis in East Nusa Tengarra, synod decided to mandate the CRCA to continue correspondence to make more information available to the churches and to report to the next synod in the hope that Ecclesiastical Fellowship can be established. Synod also decided not to enter into Ecclesiastical Fellowship with the New Zealand Reformed Churches at this time.
The committee is encouraged to continue in its various mandates including a printing of the Book of Praise in 2006. Synod also decided, upon the request of minor assemblies and a number of churches, to mandate the committee to present a proposal with the inclusion of the Apostle's Creed in the baptismal forms to the next General Synod. The committee was also mandated to submit a final proposal for a Form of Subscription, one for the local congregation and one for Classis, to the next General Synod.
The mandate of synod Fergus to the committee to prepare the prose section of the Book of Praise with the NIV Bible references but not to proceed with the requested changes to the Psalm and hymn section at this time was extended by this synod.
Synod instructed the committee to deal with submissions regarding the hymn section by maintaining the current structure of hymn section; propose changes, additions or improvements where deficiencies and/or weaknesses are found; select suitable hymns using the Guide lines and Principles agreed upon by the committee and the representatives of the URCNA.; limit the number of hymns to 100; and, publish a revised hymn section for testing by the churches.
Finally, the Committee was recommended to proceed with the Overleaf Musical Notation Edition.


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