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Home > News> Big Story > From riot relief to covid-19, spontaneous solidarities are leading the way
From riot relief to covid-19, spontaneous solidarities are leading the way
In the face of the coronavirus pandemic, Indians across class, caste, region and religion have spontaneously collaborated to support each other and those in need
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Fahad Khalid's team provides rations to residents of the Munnekollal slum in Bengaluru (Photo courtesy: Fahad Khalid)
By Asmita Bakshi
LAST PUBLISHED 10.04.2020 | 06:18 PM IST
Till a few weeks ago, Aqsa Shaikh, a medical doctor and community medicine specialist, was attending protests against the recent Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) at Delhi's Shaheen Bagh. She was also spearheading operations on the WhatsApp group Helping Hands—created by the faculty and healthcare workers of the Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Jamia Hamdard—to provide financial support to underprivileged patients. Since late February, this had doubled up as a platform to arrange medical treatment, essential provisions and legal assistance for victims of the violence in north-east Delhi. They had made progress and were moving towards long-term rehabilitation—rebuilding careers, reconstructing shops, mental health interventions.
Then the pandemic hit
After a nationwide lockdown was announced by the prime minister from 25 March, visuals of migrant workers trudging to homes hundreds of kilometres away owing to lack of work, thronging bus stations and desperately looking for their next meal became ubiquitous across television screens. The theory of the virus being a great leveller dissolved in this glaring inequality, driving home the fact that social distancing in India is a privilege.
As news about stranded daily-wage workers began to flow in, citizens like Shaikh stepped up. Last week alone, she raised close to ₹25 lakh online and resumed the effort to provide ration kits, to a much wider demographic this time—families of migrant workers, homeless persons, those affected by the riots in the Capital in February, as well as others in need in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Mumbai. So far, her team has helped nearly 2,000 families.
The covid-19 pandemic has brought with it an onslaught of information, events, visuals, narratives and pleas, splashed across news channels and social media platforms. The task at hand seems manifold. While real-life and unlikely heroes have become conspicuous in this battle against the coronavirus—grocers, sanitation workers, healthcare professionals, among others—ordinary citizens have come forward to ensure the battle is fought on every front, whether it means combating fake news, feeding the poor or personally building protective gear.
In Bengaluru, Mahita Nagraj, a freelance digital marketing professional, came up with an initiative to support elders. On her school WhatsApp group, two friends who now live abroad asked her to check in on their elderly parents—provide medicines for a father who was a heart patient, and other essentials.
Senior citizens are a high-risk group for covid-19 and many found themselves without an immediate support system. So Nagraj shared a Facebook post asking if anyone else on her friends' list needed this kind of help. "Two things happened. One, I got a lot of messages from strangers asking for help, and two, I got messages from people who wanted to replicate this in their own locations," says Nagraj.
The Facebook group Caremongers India, which she started on 17 March already has over 24,000 members. It lists a helpline number managed solely by Nagraj, who now fields close to 1,500 messages and over 300 calls every day. The community connects people across the country who require assistance with those who have the ability to provide it.
Akshay Chillal, for instance, works with a tech company in Pune but his parents, both over the age of 65, live in Hubbali, Karnataka. When his mother complained of pain in her ear, he posted on the Caremongers India page. Within 45 minutes, volunteer Amina Shaikh was at his home, arranged a curfew pass and took his mother to an ENT specialist, constantly sharing updates with Chillal on WhatsApp.
Over 3,000km away, in Mizoram, C. Lalramdini, professor, Regional Institute of Paramedical and Nursing Sciences (Ripans), launched an initiative to try and address the acute shortage of personal protection equipment (PPE) in some measure with a Facebook post and a WhatsApp group link shared on 26 March. Among the first to sign up as a volunteer was Lalhriatpuii Varte, a BEd student.
She left home on 27 March to hole up with five others at JT Fashion House, Aizawl, to stitch several components of PPE that would be checked by the doctors they are consulting before distribution. Within the first two days, Varte says, the group managed to raise ₹2 lakh for the material required: "We ordered the materials using the money that was raised and learnt how to make the gear under the supervision of our doctors and nurses."
This effort now involves over 400 people across 10 districts in Mizoram, working overtime to fulfil the urgent demand for face-shields, masks, gloves, coveralls or gowns, head covers, shoe covers, among other things, for front-line workers, be it nurses in district hospitals, police, or even volunteers of the local level task force deployed on the streets to enforce the lockdown.
Like Shaikh, Nagraj and Varte, citizens working in different fields, with varying religious, cultural and professional markers, in distant and diverse parts of the country have come together to fight for a common cause in their own unique but important ways. This, perhaps, is the power of social solidarity in a time of mandated physical distancing.
What has really set these initiatives apart, aside from their desire to contribute in whatever way they can, is the promptness with which citizens have acted—mobilizing quickly, forging instant solidarities with absolutely no institutional or political backing.
The Waiting Room Cafe in Mumbai has collaborated with citizens to provide cooked meals for the needy. Entrepreneurs have come together as a collective called Startups vs Covid-19 to do advocacy work, run helplines and help scale up infrastructure for testing and quarantine as well as manufacture test kits and medical equipment. The feminist collective Dhorshok Tumi-i, formed in December in Kolkata, is working with students of Jadavpur University to hand out essentials for women's healthcare, such as sanitary napkins, soap and sattu (roasted gram flour; rich in nutrients).
From riot relief to covid-19
"The coronavirus pandemic is a global catastrophe with local peculiarities," writes staff writer Lauren Collins in an article, "The Anguish And Solidarity Of Paris Under Lockdown", in The New Yorker. "In France, it comes on the heels of anti-pension-reform strikes that shut down the country for much of the winter, which themselves came on the heels of the gilets jaunes protests that shut down the country for much of the winter before that. Hibernation for springtime feels viscerally wrong anywhere."
Local peculiarities, it seems, can sometimes be global too.
After the CAA was passed by Parliament on 11 December, protests spread spontaneously across the country, particularly after the police attacked students inside Jamia Millia Islamia in the Capital. In late February, there were riots across north-east Delhi. All this meant there was a constant need for intervention and assistance.
The past four months, then, saw swift collaboration through platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. A team of citizen volunteers led by lawyer Dushyant Arora, for instance, came together online and raised over ₹2 crore to help 113 families affected by the riots.
"NGOs as well as organized political organizations linked or not linked to political parties have been in the background in a period of ferment which has arguably witnessed the most significant movement to protect constitutional rights," says film-maker and social activist Rahul Roy. "Confrontation is the key driving force behind all political activism and most NGOs have become non-confrontational as far as the state is concerned. A certain disillusionment with NGOs and political parties has contributed to a very new citizen-led politics which came to the fore with the anti-CAA movement," he adds.
Groups like Shaikh's, which came together spontaneously to provide post-riot relief and rehabilitation, are now channelling their efforts towards ensuring they can help more people.
Take the example of Lawyers for Detainees, started by 29- year-old lawyer Mishika Singh. On 17 December, she was at the Janpath Metro station in Delhi, on her way to a protest at Jantar Mantar, when she got an SOS call for lawyers on one of the many WhatsApp groups which had brought together lawyers, activists, journalists and others. "By the time I messaged the person whose number was on the text, I found he had already been detained," she says.
Singh spent the next 4 hours at the Metro station, putting together a WhatsApp group of lawyers who wanted to help—by 2pm, the group was full to capacity. It had 250 members, all of whom offered help with detentions and eventually with compensation for riot victims, or medico-legal certificates at hospitals. Many a time, they would get there before the government.
Volunteers from the Cement Collective preparing kits with essentials for distribution. (Photo: Omar Waziri)
The group has adapted, and with the initiative #CementCollective, it's now mobilizing to help during the lockdown. They provide essentials like rice, flour, pulses and oil to those who live hand-to-mouth or were affected by the riots and have not been able to earn a living since. Over just four days, her team helped over 1,500 people, distributed over 400 ration kits and other requirements across north-east Delhi and Loni, just across the border in Uttar Pradesh. The cost added up to ₹3,71,500, with some demands being met by donations in kind.
On 7 April, the Supreme Court, responding to a PIL stating that migrant workers had been deprived of their fundamental right to life and livelihood and must be given their wages, sought a response from the Centre, and eventually refused to interfere until 13 April, a day before the nationwide lockdown was scheduled to end. There was also the issue of those out of work and on the streets, people who do not possess ration cards and therefore are not guaranteed government welfare.
Citizens' initiatives are not hobbled by such procedural burdens. "I don't even know where to start complaining. If people asked what I would say to the government, I would just say there is no point, we will figure this out for ourselves," says Singh.
As Roy points out: "This new politics has completely overshadowed and humbled all older forms of politics. A similar thing has happened with the response to the lockdown and the crisis it has created for workers, especially those dependent on daily wages and informal labour. There has been a remarkable coming together of citizens in several parts of the country quickly to start relief operations."
Synergy with the system
Vice-president at a Bengaluru-based investment bank, Fahad Khalid, 31, flew to Delhi and was working on the ground during the riots since he is a trained paramedic. On 5 April, when the prime minister had asked those who could to come out on to their balconies to light candles, diyas or torches for 9 minutes, Khalid used the opportunity to make his concerns known. He arranged his candles to spell out "PPE?", took a video and posted it on social media. He received a flurry of death threats and abusive comments.
Over the last few weeks, Khalid and his team Volunteers Collective, formed in March, have been working to address this shortage, while also helping Bangladeshi migrants in Bengaluru's slums as well as many others. "We have made face-shields for people on the ground. They were costing close to ₹300-400 and were not in stock anywhere. So we made them out of the clear projector sheet and a band and it cost us ₹2.50 each," says Khalid. "We made close to 1,500 and are going to give it to the cops, hospital and sanitation staff, as well as others."
While in many cases citizens have been driven by frustration with the government's pace and inaction, what has also emerged is a sort of cohesion between local administrations and citizens' groups.
Abhinandita Dayal Mathur, art and culture adviser to Delhi's deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, led the state government's efforts for relief and rehabilitation after the riots and is now working on covid-19 hunger relief and food security. On 27 March, they had put out a Google form asking for citizen collaborations to help with relief work across the Capital.
Food being distributed to stranded migrant workers and homeless people at the Kashmere Gate inter-state bus terminus, Delhi, on 7 April. (Photo: Raj K Raj/Hindustan Times)
Some, such as Mridula Tandon, a resident of south Delhi's Defence Colony, started a WhatsApp group ("Each One Feed Someone") that now has over 100 members and are collecting food packets and ration supplies cooked by the women of the locality. These are picked up and distributed by local authorities in Ghazipur, Badarpur and other areas with a high concentration of out-of-work migrant labour—a minimum of 200 packets every day from Tandon's group.
"There are two things from the government point of view. One is the intent and one is the due process that has to be followed. With certain things, an individual can act immediately—like raising ₹2 lakh online—but the government is bound by procedure, so that there is no corruption and so on," says Mathur. "So we tell people to continue doing what they are doing but if you find something, before tweeting, you might just want to send that information to us as well, because it is the person's right to claim compensation and relief from the state as well. And we have the political will to help everyone."
Nagraj agrees. She believes it is the duty of people to step in. "There are a lot of gaps, which could be a result of many things. For instance, was the lockdown needed? Yes. Could it have been done better? Possibly, but hindsight is always 20/20. I think there are issues which need to be rapidly addressed and that is something that only citizens initiatives can do."
It is this sense of community that drives R. Ramanujam, a theoretical computer scientist at The Institute of Mathematical Sciences in Chennai. On 21 March, he was confused. "Look, we are all scientists. While medical researchers and pharma colleges can look at medicines and treatment, what is the rest of the science community to do?" he thought. So he wrote to 10 of his colleagues and they set up the Indian Scientists' Response to Covid-19 (ISRC) platform.
More than 400 scientists from different streams are building mathematical models on the spread of covid-19 to formulate predictions to help shape policy, bust myths related to the virus through peer-reviewed, science-backed counters and even work towards building cheaper hospital equipment such as ventilators. They disseminate this information on their website, Facebook and Twitter.
All this has not been without its challenges. Nagraj, a single mother, who volunteers to help the elderly in her area, had to move away from her family to pre-empt the risk of infecting them. Her mother moved in with Nagraj's grandmother and her son was shipped off to a friend's place. "It's not easy. My son is 12 and in the last 12 years I don't think there has been a period when we have been away from each other for more than four days. We are each other's best friend and support system. And my mum and I are extremely close too," says Nagraj.
She maintains, however, that this is something that needed to be done. "What we are going through in India is larger than an individual, any family, any single unit. We have the luxury of having people we can rely on, whether it is friends or family. We know they will be safe and well looked after. But the people we are catering to are stranded with no help. It was not an easy decision but one that needed to be made."
Varte's team at JT Fashion House has found a way to cope with being away from home: music. "We try to create a positive atmosphere here. We put on music, we dance and we enjoy ourselves. If we don't manage to keep ourselves happy, our mental health will go for a toss," she says.
Fatima Zohra (left) has been providing ration kits to slum residents in Mumbai's Vikhroli and Ghatkopar (Photo courtesy: Fatima Zohra)
For some, the impetus has come from adversity itself. After the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi's Nizamuddin in March, which was attended by people from across the country and the world before the lockdown was announced, resulted in covid-19 positive cases, the pandemic threatened to take a distinctly communal tone.
"I think our actions speak louder than their words. The doors of god are closed for all of us—mandir, masjid, everything. So at this moment the time is to support each other," says Fatima Zohra, a final-year law student in Mumbai who has been raising funds online and providing ration kits to nearly 120 families in the slums of Vikhroli and Ghatkopar.
Shaikh of Helping Hands echoes this sentiment. "When we are providing relief, it is immaterial whether the person we are helping is Hindu or Muslim," she says. As an empowered trans woman, Shaikh maintains that it is her identity that encourages people to donate, especially those who are not accustomed to "seeing trans women as providers".
As citizens across class, caste, religion and region rally to support each other and battle this pandemic, social solidarity is perhaps most intimately experienced and expressed by those whom it impacts the most.
Mohammad Akram performs the last-mile task in relief efforts. A resident of Loni, bordering Delhi, the welder had provided shelter at home to his extended family, and even neighbours across religions, when their homes were burnt down in the riots. Today, he is working on the ground with #CementCollective, going door to door, handing out relief material.
Akram seems to embody what togetherness means in these times: "Hum bilkul khaali pade hain. koi kaam dhanda nahi hai (We are sitting without work ourselves)," says Akram. "But it is important to help those affected by the riots, those stranded on the streets—they are not even managing to get one square meal."
10.04.2020 | 06:18 PM IST
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Q: Voltage Drop doubt In an ideal circuit with just a battery short circuited, where there is no resistance in the wire, why is it necessary to have resistance along the way?
I understand Ohm's Law, and that the current that would flow would be infinitely large.
But the positive charges are flowing from high potential electric energy to low potential electric energy, and as they go, they lower their potential energy, because they get closer to the other voltage terminal, correct? Why is it necessary for the energy to be "spent"?

A: There's no "need" for a resistor. Remember, a schematic is just a model of reality.
Your model would just be wrong without one, because a battery has internal resistance, and your wire has resistance, too.
Models have validity within a context. Your electric circuit model is only valid within the context of nonrelativistic large-scale electronics in conductors at relatively benign frequencies.

A: The (first) question is pretty much un-answerable.
A perfect battery maintains a constant voltage across its terminals, regardless of how much current you draw from it.  A perfect wire has zero resistance, so there must also be zero voltage from one end to the other.
So if you short a perfect 1.5V battery with a perfect wire, the impossible happens.  There is 1.5V across the wire, and 0V across it, at the same time.
In practice, there are no perfect batteries.  Superconductors may have zero resistance, but not if you try to pass an infinite current through them.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Larry Flynt: Palin Should Have Had an Abortion
In an interview with The Independent, Hustler publisher Larry Flynt unleashed his nastiness towards Sarah Palin.
To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.
Posted by Aaron Goldstein at Tuesday, May 31, 2011 0 comments
Winnipeg Jets Reborn
As Joe Lawler noted this morning, the NHL and True North Sports are set to announce that the Atlanta Thrashers are going to move to Winnipeg next season. The Winnipeg Jets have been reborn.
Bruins & Canucks Face Off in Stanley Cup
On Friday, the Boston Bruins reached the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1990 with a 1-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Right-winger Nathan Horton scored the game's only goal with a little over seven and a half minutes left to play in the 3rd period. The Bruins will face the Vancouver Canucks for Lord Stanley's Cup
starting Wednesday night.
Posted by Aaron Goldstein at Friday, May 27, 2011 0 comments
Jeff Conaway, 1950-2011. R.I.P.
Actor Jeff Conaway died today after being taken off life support by his family. He was 60.
To read the rest of this obituary, please check out The American Spectator.
Wasserman Schultz: Reasonable?
I must confess that I never thought I would see the day where I find the word reasonable in the same sentence with DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz. As one can see from this debate last fall with Paul Ryan, she is anything but reasonable.
Posted by Aaron Goldstein at Thursday, May 26, 2011 0 comments
Joe Klein's Hysterical Rant Against Netanyahu
Earlier this week, I made the following observation concerning Jewish support for President Obama:
Quite frankly President Obama could appear in full Nazi regalia, sporting a toothbrush mustache with his arm extended shouting, "Sieg Heil!" and still get a majority of the Jewish vote in this country.
Exhibit A: Joe Klein.
To continue reading this post, please check out The American Spectator.
Does Canada's Liberal Party Have a Rae of Hope?
Yesterday, Bob Rae was chosen to be the interim leader of Canada's Liberal Party by its remaining MPs and Senators.
Earlier this month, the Liberals lost more than half their seats in Canada's federal election which saw Stephen Harper's Conservatives get a majority in the House of Commons and also saw the NDP supplant the Liberals as the Official Opposition.
Yes, I Watched The Whole Game
The Philadelphia Phillies just defeated the Cincinnati Reds 5-4 in 19 innings.
I watched and kept score of the whole game. The game took six hours, eleven minutes to play.
Posted by Aaron Goldstein at Wednesday, May 25, 2011 0 comments
Paul Splittorff, 1946-2011. R.I.P.
Former Kansas City Royals pitcher Paul Splittorff died this morning of complications of melanoma and oral cancer. He was 64.
To read this rest of this obituary, please check out The American Spectator.
Thoughts on Oprah
With Oprah Winfrey officially ending her long running show today let me share a few thoughts.
To start with I do not consider myself a fan of Ms. Winfrey. Of course, I am well aware that millions of people in the United States and Canada who do not share this view (my 91-year old maternal grandmother amongst them.)
God Couldn't Save The Queen From Obama
What can one say about President Obama talking over "God Save The Queen" in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II and The Royal Family at Buckingham Palace last night?
Netanyahu to Abbas: Accept Israel as a Jewish State
I second Jim Antle's sentiments on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address before a joint session of Congress.
Randy "Macho Man" Savage, 1952-2011. R.I.P.
Former professional wrestler Randy "Macho Man" Savage died this morning of an apparent heart attack while driving near his home in Tampa, Florida. He was 58. Savage's wife, Lynn, sustained minor injuries in the accident.
To keep reading this post, please check out The American Spectator.
Since When is Obama Above Criticism?
John Guardiano informs us he is "taken aback" by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's "dissrespect for President Obama."
Disrespect for Obama?
Obama Parties Like It's 1967
What can I say about President Obama's remarks concerning Israel? At best, they were steeped in moral equivalence. At worst, he demonstrates his profound ignorance of the history of The Jewish state.
Ronald McDonald: Public Enemy #1
The Wall Street Journal has reported on efforts to force McDonald's to retire Ronald McDonald in the ongoing campaign to stop marketing junk food to children.
To read this rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.
Outrageous! Obama administration banning potatoes in schools
I am so sick and tired of overweight Michelle Obama telling us what we can and can't eat. Potatoes are healthy. Now, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is going to ban potatoes from school cafeterias. This is absurd considering most schools still sell cookies, pop and chips in snack machines. Did a lobbyist for a competing food item get to someone in a high position of power at the Dept. of Agriculture? Here she is hypocritically showing off potatoes grown in the White House garden. Here is more from Ed Morrissey on how the USDA is banning food stamp recipients from buying potatoes (whatever happened to potatoes being considered the most basic food source?)
Posted by Rachel Alexander at Wednesday, May 18, 2011 0 comments
Harmon Killebrew, 1936-2011. R.I.P.
Harmon Killebrew, one of baseball's greatest sluggers, died this morning of esophageal cancer. He was 74.
Publicity Stunt or Not, Trump Folded
John Tabin could be right. Maybe it was a publicity stunt all along and Trump fooled some of us into thinking he was actually going to run. Hey, he convinced Charles Krauthammer.
Posted by Aaron Goldstein at Monday, May 16, 2011 0 comments
No Trump on The Stump
At this point, I am not surprised by Trump's decision.
Jack Richardson, 1929-2011. R.I.P.
Record producer Jack Richardson passed away on Friday. He was 81. His cause of death is not known although he had been in poor health in recent years.
Richardson is best known for being to The Guess Who what George Martin was to The Beatles. Richardson produced fourteen Guess Who albums at Nimbus 9 studios in Toronto between 1968 and 1975. This collaboration yielded such hits as "These Eyes", "No Time" and "American Woman." Indeed, when "American Woman" hit number one on the U.S. Billboard charts in 1970 it marked the first time that chart position had been achieved by a Canadian act.
This success gave Richardson the opportunity to work with the likes of Alice Cooper, Bob Seger, Poco and The Irish Rovers. In later years, Richardson imparted his knowledge to students at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario. In 2003, Richardson was named to the Order of Canada.
As it happened, former Guess Who lead singer Burton Cummings was performing in London, Ontario last night and dedicated the show to Richardson. And why not? If not for Richardson, chances are Cummings would not still be singing these songs in front of audiences more than forty years after they were recorded.
Posted by Aaron Goldstein at Sunday, May 15, 2011 0 comments
Paul Simon Lets a Fan Play On Stage
My roommate Christopher sent me a link from NPR.
(Yeah, OK, I know it's NPR. But bear with me.)
When Rayna Ford went to see Paul Simon play in Toronto earlier this month the last she probably expected was that she would be invited on stage to play "Duncan." Yet this is exactly what happened when Simon motioned her out of the audience when she said she knew how to play the song after she asked Simon to play it. Ford did a great job with "Duncan" to the delight of Simon, his band and the fans.
Suffice it to say it will be a night Rayna Ford will never forget.
Sarah Silverman Isn't Funny
FOX should fire the executive who thought it was a good idea to put "comedienne" Sarah Silverman in the broadcast booth with Tim McCarver and Joe Buck for a half inning during tonight's Red Sox-Yankees game at Yankee Stadium.
I mean it's bad enough I have to listen to McCarver and Buck. Silverman's musings are about as pleasurable as having your gall bladder disintegrate.
During her shtick, Silverman brought up the late Dock Ellis, the late Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher who once threw a no-hitter while under the influence of LSD. She said she thought it would be a great idea to disseminate LSD to big league pitchers. To Buck's credit, he wasn't having any of it and moved the proceedings forward. Thankfully, Silverman's act came to a merciful end when Yankee outfielder Brett Gardner grounded out to Red Sox first baseman Adrian Gonzalez to conclude the inning.
However, to be fair to Silverman, I did think it was a bit silly for FOX to bleep her use of the word "Masshole." For those of you who are unfamiliar with this vernacular, "Masshole" is a term of affection residents of New Hampshire (Silverman was born there) use mostly to describe Massachusetts liberals who have moved to the Granite State so they do not have to pay state income tax.
Still, it doesn't change the fact that Sarah Silverman isn't funny.
Posted by Aaron Goldstein at Saturday, May 14, 2011 0 comments
Who Would Want to Pluck Huck?
Quin Hillyer believes that Mike Huckabee wants to be Vice-President of the United States.
Lets assume Quin is right. The problem is that Huckabee would be operating under the assumption that the eventual Republican nominee would want him to be his or her running mate. Somehow I can't imagine Huckabee wanting to be Mitt Romney's number two. Or for that matter Romney's anything.
The only scenario under which I can see the GOP nominee picking Huckabee would be if that nominee needed to shore up support amongst social conservatives. That certainly wouldn't apply to someone like Sarah Palin.
If there is a Republican who could use Huckabee's help it might be Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels. After all, Daniels did raise the ire of social conservatives when he called for a "truce" on social issues last year. If social conservatives still had reservations about Daniels, Huckabee could prove a useful asset. But, of course, this assumes that Daniels will run.
Personally, I am inclined to think that Huckabee wants neither to be President nor Vice-President at this time. Why give up playing bass to play second fiddle?
Huckabee Isn't Running
I flipped the channel in between innings of the Red Sox-Yankees game to see Mike Huckabee announce he would not seek the GOP nomination for President in 2012.
I can't say I'm surprised. He has a popular show in which he gets to paid to play bass.
Why would he give up that gig?
While Huckabee is an affable fellow he does occasionally show lapses of judgment (i.e. misplaced compassion for convicted killers, saying Obama grew up in Kenya, Natalie Portman.) He also lacks the instinct necessary to go after the jugular. Let's face it. President Obama plays for keeps and by the time he got through with Huckabee there wouldn't have been any bone left.
Mel Queen, 1942-2011. R.I.P.
Former big league pitcher turned pitching coach Mel Queen passed away today at the age of 69. His cause of death is unknown.
Ron Paul: bin Laden Raid Absolute Not Necessary
Now that Ron Paul has formally announced his intention to seek the Republican nomination for the White House, it is worth scrutizining his position on the raid which killed Osama bin Laden. While in Iowa earlier this week, Paul called the raid "absolutely not necessary."
Jinxing Jacoby Ellsbury
In my latest article I have written about the enduring magnificence of Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak which began seventy years ago this month. I also make the point of arguing that DiMaggio's streak becomes more impressive with every player who has a hitting streak that falls short.
At the end of the article, I note Boston Red Sox centerfielder Jacoby Ellsbury's 19-game hitting streak. Well, his streak was snapped in Wednesday's night game against the Toronto Blue Jays as Ellsbury went 0 for 4. The Yankee Clipper's record is once again safe and its stature further enhanced.
Perhaps I jinxed Ellsbury by mentioning his streak in the article. Of course, it might have also had something to do with the quality of the Blue Jays pitching.
Finally! A prolife cancer organization: Respect Life Cancer Foundation
Join the facebook page here
The Respect Life Cancer Foundation is an organization focused on curing cancers by respecting ALL life. We will recommend and donate funds to cancer research facilities that DO NOT support abortion and DO NOT support EMBRYONIC stem cell experimentation. We believe strongly that all life should be respected at all levels of development.
Several national cancer curing organizations fund/and or support abortion, and most, sadly, support experimenting on embryos. We find this appalling, particularly because the information is often hidden from the donating public. We seek to change that...with your help! (read less)
The Respect Life Cancer Foundation was founded by David Roney, a three year survivor and life-long pro-life advocate. Appalled that so much money was being raised to help people while hurting the most defenseless among us, David saw a need to inform the public about where their money was going, as well as provide a safe way for people to donate without creating moral and ethic conflicts.
To cure cancer by respecting ALL human life.
Information@RLCF.org
http://RLCF.org
3219 East Camelback Road Suite 482, Phoenix, AZ 85018
About Those Wait Times in Massachusetts
As Jim Antle informs us, as a consequence of Romneycare, patients in Massachusetts have to wait "as long as a month and a half for non-urgent physician appointments."
To read the rest of this blog post, please check out The American Spectator.
John Maus (a.k.a. John Walker), 1943-2011. R.I.P.
John Maus, a member of The Walker Brothers, passed away on Saturday of liver cancer. He was 67.
To continue reading this blog post, please check out The American Spectator.
Pakistani PM Denies Harboring bin Laden
Today, Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani formally denied his government had harbored Osama bin Laden.
To read the rest of this post, please go to The American Spectator.
J Street to Netanyahu: Offer Peace or Prepare for Violence
Jeremy Ben Ami, Executive Director of J Street (a so-called pro-Israel organization) has said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must offer a two-state solution when he visits Washington D.C. later this month or face more Palestinian violence.
Thoughts About Obama on Osama on 60 Minutes
I watched the 60 Minutes interview with President Obama last night. While I thought Obama perhaps gave one of this strongest interviews there were several things which jumped out at me.
To read the rest of this blog post, please go to The American Spectator.
Another No-Hitter for Verlander
Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander no-hit the Toronto Blue Jays this afternoon en route to a 9-0 victory.
Verlander's no-hitter comes only four days after Minnesota Twins pitcher Francisco Liriano threw one against the Chicago White Sox.
However, unlike Liriano who walked six batters, Verlander was nearly perfect. He had a perfect game going for seven and one third innings until he walked Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia in the eighth inning.
This is the second no-hitter of Verlander's career. He no-hit the Milwaukee Brewers in June 2007.
Intelligent Opposites: Condi Rice & Lawrence O'Donnell
I appreciate Joe Lawler for providing us with the link to Lawrence O'Donnell's "interview" of Condoleezza Rice.
After watching the interview I would use Mae West's term "intelligent opposites" to describe Rice and O'Donnell. Condoleezza Rice is intelligent, Lawrence O'Donnell is opposite.
On a separate matter, doesn't O'Donnell bear a strong resemblance to Kevin Butler in the Sony Playstation commercials?
Is Mays Better Than Ruth?
To read this post please check out The American Spectator.
A Top Canadian Socialist Says bin Laden Photos Don't Exist
To read this blog post please check out The American Spectator.
Jackie Cooper, 1922-2011. R.I.P.
Actor Jackie Cooper died yesterday at the age of 88. He lived a full life as a little rascal with a Oscar nomination under his belt by the age of nine before a tour of duty in the South Pacific during WWII which to led to careers as a military man, director, studio executive and a song and dance man. Why he even found the time to edit The Daily Planet.
Now that's a super man.
Meet One of Canada's New Socialist MPs
Today, in my post-mortem on the Canadian election I noted that a number of the newly minted New Democratic Party (NDP) MPs were quite young and inexperienced and that this might very well come back to haunt them.
I, of course, mentioned Ruth Ellen Brosseau, the English speaking assistant bar manager elected in a rural francophone riding who did some of her best campaigning in Las Vegas. Now there are questions about some of the signatures on her nomination papers.
But let me draw your attention to another of these whippersnappers. Alexandrine Latendresse is a 27-year-old recent graduate of Laval University in Quebec City. How recent? Well, she just graduated last week. Here is a picture of Latendresse sporting a water gun and "I Still Hate George Bush" t-shirt.
Ah yes, youthful idealism in its full bloom.
Then again this is what happens when you have paper candidates. As I mentioned in my article, the NDP had only one seat in Quebec and in most elections it doesn't win any seats in Quebec. So most people who run for the NDP don't have campaign offices, don't participate in candidates debates, don't talk with voters or even set foot in the constituency. It gives the NDP the ability to say they have a full slate of candidates. But now that the Quebecois have elected these paper candidates, the NDP now finds itself in way over its head. NDP leader Jack Layton and his Quebec lieutenant Thomas Mulclair are going to have to spend a lot of time sharing babysitting duties. This could impede them from being an effective opposition never mind a viable alternative to an adult Conservative government.
A Couple More Reasons To Oppose The Hamas-Fatah Pact
Matthew RJ Brodsky has provided us with an excellent analysis of the Palestinian National Accord between Hamas and Fatah and why the United States should steer clear of it.
And if Brodsky cannot persuade you then let me offer another reason to oppose the Hamas-Fath pact.
Former President Jimmy Carter has given it his blessing.
Let me offer one more. No sooner than Hamas and Fatah sign a unity accord they agree to condemn the killing of Osama bin Laden.
On the G. Gordon Liddy Show discussing the financial catastrophe being brought on by the financial part of Obama's administration
Almost no one is talking about the most serious financial catastrophe taking place in the U.S. today. Instead everyone is focused on reigning in Congressional spending, particularly in areas like entitlements and Obamacare. Listen as I discuss with G. Gordon Liddy here. The article I wrote on it is here.
"U.S.A.! U.S.A.!" vs. "Death to America"
Some clergy have come out to publicly condemn our "celebration" of Osama bin Laden's death.
Father Edward Beck, a Catholic priest in New York City, has stated, "I am uncomfortable with the killing of Osama bin Laden being celebrated like a Superbowl win." Last night, he went on The O'Reilly Factor to discuss his views. When O'Reilly asked him how the response to the death of bin Laden was any different than the response to the end of WWII on VE Day or VJ Day, Beck replied, "But when you watch these people celebrating how does it make us any better than those in the Mideast who celebrate when America falls?"
Beck's views of moral equivalence are echoed by George Pitcher, an Anglican priest in London. Writing in The Telegraph, Pitcher argues:
We have to be very careful about our response to the killing of Osama bin Laden. The West was appalled and deeply offended by the street celebrations in Tehran and elsewhere after 9/11, but how do rednecks in Washington DC chanting "USA! USA!" after the shooting of Osama and other members of his household compare with that?
Osama bin Laden declared war on the United States by telling Muslims it was their solemn duty to kill Americans be the military or civilian. Members of bin Laden's organization carried out his fatwa on September 11, 2001. The response to the death of bin Laden was in part to praise the bravery of our soldiers and in part to remind evildoers that they reap what they sow. Those in the Middle East who danced in the streets following the attacks of September 11, 2001 chanting "Death to America!"did so out of hatred of people they deemed to be infidels. They delighted in the deaths of men, women and children.
I cannot help but think of the celebrations which broke out in the streets of Rafah following the murder of the Fogel family in the West Bank settlement of Itamar back in March. If neither Beck nor Pitcher can discern between the death of Osama bin Laden and the death of a three month old baby who had her throat slit and was decapitated because she was Jewish then I am left with no choice but to declare that both men are unworthy of the cloth.
The Dalai Lama Sheds No Tears Over bin Laden
It amuses me to no end that the Dalai Lama is shedding no tears over the death of Osama bin Laden.
During an appearance at USC yesterday, the Tibetan spiritual leader said, in response to a question about bin Laden's death, "Forgiveness doesn't mean forget what happened. ... If something is serious and it is necessary to take counter-measures, you have to take counter-measures."
I wonder if The Dalai Lama's response had anything to do with the Taliban's blowing up two Buddhist statues in Afghanistan back in March 2001. I'm sure he hasn't forgotten.
Baseball & DUI
I was reading National Review Online's new sports blog, Right Field, when I learned that Cleveland Indians outfielder Shin-Soo Choo was arrested on Monday night for drunk driving.
Choo is the sixth MLB player to be arrested for a DUI offense since the beginning of this calendar year. Just last week, Atlanta Braves pitcher Derek Lowe was arrested and was actually racing other vehicles on the road. When Detroit Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera (who has a well documented problem with alcohol) was arrested for DUI last February, Cabrera is alleged to have said, "F#*k you. Do you know who I am?" Other MLB players to have been arrested this year for impaired driving include Oakland Athletics outfielder Coco Crisp, Seattle Mariners infielder Adam Kennedy as well as Choo's teammate Austin Kearns.
The obvious question is, "What are these guys are thinking?" The obvious answer is that they are drinking instead of thinking. If they were thinking, they might remember that St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock was killed in a traffic accident in 2007. Not only was Hancock impaired at the time of the accident but he was talking on his cell phone and had marijuana in his vehicle. If they were thinking, they might remember that Los Angeles Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart and two of his friends were killed by a drunk driver in 2009. The driver had a previous conviction for DUI and was on probation at the time of the accident. Last December, he was sentenced to 51 years in prison.
MLB ought to suspend any player arrested for DUI. If they don't, sooner or later, one of these players is going to end up killing someone.
Those "Inflammatory" bin Laden Photos
Yesterday, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney made the case that releasing photos of the deceased Osama bin Laden could be "inflammatory."
Carney's sentiments were echoed by Republican Congressman Mike Rogers, Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. Rogers told George Stephanopoulos, "If you're a sergeant in a town in Ghazni, Afghanistan and you're trying to get some local elder to cooperate about what's happening in your village, are you going to do it if this inflames into some kind of trophy - we have a trophy of Osama bin Laden?"
But if the Obama Administration and Congressman Rogers are concerned about "inflaming the Muslim world" didn't they think the singular act of killing bin Laden would be sufficiently inflammatory? I'm afraid that train has already left the station.
For crying out loud, release the photos.
UPDATE: White House Press Secretary Jay Carney announced earlier this afternoon that President Obama has decided not to release the bin Laden photos. Carney quote Obama in an interview he did earlier today with Steve Kroft which will air this Sunday on 60 Minutes. Obama told Kroft, "We don't trot out this stuff as trophies. This is somebody deserving of the justice he received. But we don't need to spike the football."
So President Obama will instead take a knee.
Liriano Tosses No-Hitter
Minnesota Twins pitcher Francisco Liriano no-hit the Chicago White Sox tonight en route to a 1-0 victory.
Liriano has pitched with the Twins since the end of the 2005 season. The no-hitter marked both Liriano's first big league complete game and shutout in his 95th career start.
Prior to this start, Liriano had been struggling with a 1-4 record and an astronomical 9.13 ERA and was on the verge of losing his spot in the starting rotation. Even tonight his control was not pinpoint as he walked six batters.
Nonetheless, Liriano's no-no gives the Twins something to cheer about. The Twins, who have won the AL Central Division six times in the past nine seasons, entered tonight's game with the worst record in Major League Baseball at 9-18. Well, no more. With tonight's triumph, the White Sox now have the worst record in MLB as they have lost 16 of their last 20 games.
It should be noted that the losing pitcher was Edwin Jackson. Last season, Jackson tossed a no-hitter when he was a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks against the Tampa Bay Rays. In that performance, Jackson walked eight batters.
Canada's Conservatives Win Majority
Good news from Canada. The Conservative Party finally won a majority government last night under Stephen Harper. The NDP supplanted the Liberals as the official opposition while the sovereigntist Bloc Quebecois was nearly decimated. Also, the Green Party won its first ever seat in the House of Commons. Here is the seat breakdown as of this writing:
Conservatives - 167
NDP - 102
Liberals - 34
Bloc Quebecois - 4
I plan to have a more extensive analysis of the election which hopefully be on the main site tomorrow. In particular, I will focus on the fall of the Liberals, an entity that was once regarded as "Canada's natural governing party."
Another Dumb Reaction to bin Laden's Death
Over at National Review Online, Jonah Goldberg scolds David Sirota of Salon "for having the dumbest reaction to bin Laden's death so far." Sirota views bin Laden as the victor:
This is bin Laden's lamentable victory - he has changed America's psyche from one that saw violence as a regrettable-if-sometimes-necessary act into one that finds orgasmic euphoria in news of bloodshed. In other words, he's helped drag us down into his sick nihilism by making us like too many other bellicose societies in history - the ones that aggressively cheer on killing, as long as it is the Bad Guy that is being killed.
Well, allow me to nominate Neil Macdonald, Washington senior correspondent for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) who echoes a remarkably similar sentiment arguing that bin Laden "in so many ways, Osama bin Laden died the victor." McDonald elaborates:
But when bin Laden directed those airplanes at civilians ten years ago, he stole a lot more from this nation than the lives of 3,000 of her citizens.
He taught this country the consequences of operating an open, free society. Literally, he showed Americans the price of their liberty, how many of their principles they'd be willing to cast aside, and how quickly they would do it.
In other words, bin Laden showed American exceptionalists how unexceptionally they behave when faced with horrors most older nations have endured.
Beginning the day after the attacks, the United States became a meaner, more paranoid, more impoverished place.
Before I go further, I should note that Macdonald is the older brother of comedian and former Saturday Night Live alumunus Norm Macdonald - only far less funny.
Macdonald then proceeds to bash the United States for Islamophobia, the Patriot Act and George W. Bush:
But bin Laden didn't just prod Americans into disregarding their own laws and principles when dealing with their real and supposed enemies; he goaded them into turning on each other.
Bush, on the night of the attacks, declared that there were only two choices: you were with America, meaning him, or with the terrorists. No middle ground.
Unfortunately, Macdonald doesn't let the facts get in the way of his argument. First, Bush didn't utter "either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists" on the night of September 11, 2001. He did so nine days later on September 20, 2001 before a joint session of Congress. Here is what President Bush actually said:
Our response involves far more than instant retaliation and isolated strikes. Americans should not expect one battle, but a lengthy campaign, unlike any other we have seen. It may include dramatic strikes, visible on television, and covert operations, secret even in success. We will starve terrorists of funding, turn them one against another, drive them from place to place, until there is no refuge or rest. And we will pursue nations that provide aid or safe haven to terrorism. Every nation, in every region, now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists. From this day forward, any nation that continues to harbor or support terrorism will be regarded by the United States as a hostile regime.
If Macdonald had bothered to exercise the most basic diligence he would know that Bush was directing his comments at nations which harbored terrorists, not Americans who didn't agree with his policies.
Macdonald has spent eight years in Washington but obviously knows precious little about this country.
Will Canadians Vote for Taliban Jack?
Today, Canadians vote for a new Parliament.
As I have written previously, the New Democratic Party (NDP) is poised to make unprecedented gains and it is not implausible that NDP leader Jack Layton could end up as Canada's next Prime Minister.
As a former card carrying NDPer, I would like to put out a word of caution to those Canadians who are considering voting for the NDP for the very first time. Canada has been in the thick of the fight in Afghanistan from the outset and the NDP has opposed Canada's involvement every step of the way. It should not be forgotten that in September 2006 Layton advocated direct negotiations with the Taliban. It earned him the nickname "Taliban Jack."
In light of the killing of Osama bin Laden, let us remember it was the Taliban who provided him sanctuary in Afghanistan. Let us also remember that life comes cheap to the Taliban. It was only last summer they flogged and executed a pregnant woman for having sex out of wedlock. The Taliban do not care about gender parity.
The idea that Jack Layton thinks the Taliban are amenable reason should give Canadians pause when they go to the polls today.
Obama's Re-Election Prospects
With regard to the political implications of Osama bin Laden's killing, Jim Antle writes, "I don't think it guarantees President Obama a second term as it would have done for George W. Bush from 2001-04, but it has certainly strengthened his hand."
Jim is right to say this doesn't guarantee Obama's re-election. After all, the election is still 18 months away and anything could happen. But barring a catastrophe it becomes increasingly difficult to see how Obama can lose. And by catastrophe I am talking about an even bigger financial meltdown than the one experienced in 2008. If there was another terrorist attack in this country on the scale of 9/11 or greater in retaliation for bin Laden's killing I believe the nation would rally around Obama (unless he were to handle it abysmally.) The electorate is more likely to turn on Obama over our pocketbooks rather than over our security.
The magnitude of bin Laden's killing is such that it makes Donald Trump's efforts to question Obama's legitimacy look petty and stupid. The emotional outpouring that has come about as a result simply cannot be ignored. The spontaneous celebrations will, of course, soon pass. Nevertheless, people will invariably associate bin Laden's demise with President Obama. As long as that is the case the electorate will be strongly inclined to give Obama another four years in office.
Hamas Condemns bin Laden Killing
Well, this is interesting. Ismail Haniyeh, the Prime Minister of the Hamas government in Gaza, has condemned the killing of Osama bin Laden.
Praising bin Laden as "a Muslim and Arabic warrior", Haniyeh calling bin Laden's killing "the continuation of the American oppression and shedding of blood of Muslims and Arabs."
In light of Hamas rapprochement with Fatah last week, I wonder if Salam Fayyad and Mahmoud Abbas share Haniyeh's point of view. Assuming Hamas and Fatah do form a unity government does President Obama expect Israel to make peace with a Palestinian entity which views Osama bin Laden as "a Muslim and Arabic warrior"?
I wouldn't put it past him.
Thoughts on bin Laden's Death
I learned that Osama bin Laden had been killed by U.S. forces while watching the Mets-Phillies game on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball. No sooner than Dan Shulman had made the announcement chants of "U.S.A.!!! U.S.A.!!!" could be heard throughout Citizens Bank Park. News really does travel fast. (UPDATE: Here's a first-hand account from Todd Zolecki of MLB.com.)
I told my roommate Christopher that Mets pinch hitter Daniel Murphy appeared bewildered at the chant. Shulman along with his colleagues Orel Hershiser and Bobby Valentine noted soon after that the players and coaching staff of both teams were probably the only people in the ballpark who hadn't heard the news.
This development is personally noteworthy because on Saturday, while I was in New York visiting with my father, we decided to take a cab down to Ground Zero. Although there is a lot of construction going around the area, the WTC site itself remains void as it has been for nearly a decade. Under the circumstances, bin Laden's death helps to fill that void and does bring some measure of comfort. However, I am also under no illusions that our fight against Islamic fundamentalism is over. Far from it.
With this in mind, I found little reassurance in President Obama's statement. Once again he insisted "the United States is not - and never will be - at war with Islam." Such a sentiment utterly misses the point because a not so insignificant segment of the Muslim world is at war with us and Obama does us a disservice to pretend otherwise. Indeed, bin Laden is now a martyr to his followers and they will have a greater resolve to see to it that bin Laden's 1998 fatwa declaring war against the United States is implemented. Under that fatwa it is the duty of all Muslims to kill Americans be they military personnel or civilians.
Obama's message was also contradictory. On one hand, Obama said that bin Laden's death "marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation's efforts to defeat al Qaeda."
But then Obama went on to say that bin Laden "was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims." Well, if bin Laden wasn't a Muslim leader then what does that make Ahmadinejad and the Mullahs in Iran or Assad in Syria?
Moreover, there will be those who will question the timing of bin Laden's demise given that Obama made a point of stating, "And finally, last week, I determined that we had enough intelligence to take immediate action, and authorized an operation to get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice." There will be those who will wonder aloud if Obama authorized this operation the same day or following the release of his long form birth certificate although I will not be amongst them. President Obama gave our forces had a job to do and they did it.
So, in the grand scheme of things, John Guardiano is absolutely right when he states "the psychological effects of bin Laden's confirmed death cannot be overstated." The world is a better place without him.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Home | ACADEMICS | Schools & Departments | Philosophy | Henry C. Theriault
Henry C. Theriault
Office S-316B
htheriault@worcester.edu
B.A., Princeton University
Ph.D., University of Massachusetts
Henry C. Theriault is currently Professor in and Chair of the Philosophy Department at Worcester State University in the United States, where he has taught since 1998. From 1999 to 2007, he coordinated the University's Center for the Study of Human Rights. He earned his B.A. in English from Princeton University and his Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Massachusetts, with specializations in social and political as well as continental philosophy. Theriault's expertise is in genocide and human rights studies, and his research focuses on reparations, victim-perpetrator relations, genocide denial, genocide prevention, and mass violence against women and girls. Since 2007, he has chaired the Armenian Genocide Reparations Study Group and is lead author of its March 2015 final report, Resolution with Justice. He has published numerous journal articles and chapters in the area of genocide studies. (See a list of recently published works below.)
He has lectured and given panel papers around the world, including in Armenia, Turkey, the Mountainous Karabakh Republic, Lebanon, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Rwanda, Britain, France, Belgium, Italy, Argentina, Canada, and across the United States. During the summer of 2013 he was based at Griffith University Mt. Gravatt as a visiting scholar at the Australian National Research Council's Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security, where he investigated the impact of humanitarian military intervention on levels of violence against and exploitation of women and girls. He is founding co-editor of the peer-reviewed Genocide Studies International (International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies and University of Toronto Press) and was recently named co-editor of Transaction Publishers' Genocide: A Critical Bibliographic Review. From 2007 to 2012 he served as co-editor of the International Association of Genocide Scholars' peer-reviewed Genocide Studies and Prevention, and was guest editor of the International Criminal Law Review special issue on "Armenian Genocide Reparations" (14:2, 2014), and the Armenian Review special issue on the "New Global Reparations Movement" (53:1-4, 2012).
PH 100 Introduction to Philosophy
PH 102 History of Modern Western Philosophy, 1600-1800
PH 110 Critical Thinking
PH 115 Logic 1
PH 130 Ethics: Human Conduct and Values
PH 131 Medical Ethics
PH 163 Philosophy on Television
PH 180 Sports and Philosophy
PH 190 Special Topic: Philosophy Through Fiction
PH 201 19th Century European Philosophy
PH 202 Selected Topic in 20th-21st Century Western Philosophy: Postmodernism
PH 221 Existentialism and Phenomenology
PH 241 Genocide and Human Rights
PH 242 Race, Nation, Class, Gender, and Sexuality
PH 251 Mass Violence Against Women
PH 263 Film and Philosophy
PH 264 Philosophy of Education
PH 290 Special Topic: Mass Violence and Justice
PH 290 Special Topic: Anarchist Theory
PH 301 Individual Figure in the History of Western Philosophy: Spinoza
PH 302 Topics in American Philosophy
PH 360 Philosophy of History
"Difficult Dialogues: Perpetrators, Victims, Power, and the Legacies of Mass Violence," in The Humanities and Healing (2014)
"Repairing the Irreparable: 'Impossible' Harms and the Complexities of 'Justice,'" in Prácticas Genocidas y Violencia Estatal: en Perspectiva Transdiscipinar (2014)
"Hell Is for Children: The Impact of Genocide on Young Armenians," in Genocide: A Critical Bibliographic Review, Vol. 10 (2014)
"Reparations for Genocide: Group Harm and the Limits of Liberal Individualism," International Criminal Law Review 14:2 (2014)
"Yüzyl Türkiye'si İçin Ermeni Soykırımı Sorunu: Sorumluluk ve Çözüme Yönelik Tazmin" ("The Challenge of the Armenian Genocide for 21st Century Turkey: Responsibility and Reparation Toward Resolution"), Öncesi ve Sonrası Ile 1915: Inkâr ve Yüzleşme: Inkâr ve Yüzleşme Sempozyumu 24-25 Nisan 2010 (2013)
"Shared Burdens and Perpetrator-Victim Group Conciliation," in Genocide, Risk and Resilience: An Interdisciplinary Approach (2013)
"Denial of Ongoing Atrocities as a Rationale for Not Attempting to Prevent or Intervene," in Genocide: A Critical Bibliographic Review, Vol. 9 (2013)
Honors and Grants
Visiting Scholar, Australian National Research Council's Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security, Griffith University Mt. Gravatt, Summer 2013.


Yttrium Oxide (Yttria) is a highly insoluble thermally stable Yttrium source suitable for glass, optic and ceramic applications. Oxide compounds are not conductive to electricity. However, certain perovskite structured oxides are electronically conductive finding application in the cathode of solid oxide fuel cells and oxygen generation systems. They are compounds containing at least one oxygen anion and one metallic cation. They are typically insoluble in aqueous solutions (water) and extremely stable making them useful in ceramic structures as simple as producing clay bowls to advanced electronics and in light weight structural components in aerospace and electrochemical applications such as fuel cells in which they exhibit ionic conductivity. Metal oxide compounds are basic anhydrides and can therefore react with acids and with strong reducing agents in redox reactions. Metallic oxide compounds are also available from American Elements' nanoscale production facilities. Yttrium Oxide is generally immediately available in most volumes. Ultra high purity and high purity compositions improve both optical quality and usefulness as scientific standards. Nanoscale elemental powders and suspensions, as alternative highsurface area forms, may be considered. Yttrium has the highest thermo-dynamic affinity for oxygen, useful in ceramics for crucibles for molten reactive metals, in florescent phosphors, computer displays and automotive fuel sensors. Yttria stabilized zirconia is used in high temperature applications and as an electrolyte in fuel cells. Yttrium Oxide oxide is also available in pellets, pieces, sputtering targets, tablets, and nanopowder (from American Elements' nanoscale production facilities). Additional technical, research and safety (MSDS) information is available.
Yttrium-doped iron oxide magnetic adsorbent for enhancement in arsenic removal and ease in separation after applications.
Facile meltPEGylation of flame-made luminescent Tb-doped yttrium oxide particles: hemocompatibility, cellular uptake and comparison to silica.
Visible emission from bismuth-doped yttrium oxide thin films for lighting and display applications.


Star Wars Battlefront Gamepack (by AKHUGHES90) for Titan One features an NEW and EXCLUSIVE Advanced Rapidfire MOD.
The new and exclusive Advanced Rapidfire MOD features an unprecedented control of the parameters and physics inherent to the weapons models of modern first person shooters.
You can customize the Star Wars Battlefront Gamepack using the Gtuner's Gamepack Configuration Interface, by clicking on the slot number associated to the Gamepack.
The Star Wars Battlefront Gamepack can NOT be configured using the controller.
The new and exclusive Advanced Rapidfire MOD features an unprecedented control of the parameters and physics inherent to the weapons models, such: Rapidfire frequency, period and duty; First to second shot delay; Bustfire and Vertical recoil compensation.
Firing dual wield weapons means that the player must awkwardly pull both the left and right triggers. This can make aiming more difficult. When the Easy Dual Wield MOD is turned on, pulling the right trigger alone will fire both weapons using Quick Rapidfire.
When the Alternate Rapidfire is enabled, it will be activated based on the Rapidfire Mode configuration. For example if your regular Rapidfire is only active when scoping then the Alternate Rapidfire will be activated when you are not using the ADS. This behavior can be very handy to set a precise rate of fire while aiming and a more aggressive rate of fire while hipfiring.
This mod will charge your bow and jump for you just before release hell on your target.
When you pull the fire button, your character will crouch and begin firing. This is useful for players that like to maintain stealth and reduce their target profile. This also assists in increasing accuracy in combat. This action is not performed if the ADS (scope) is in use.
When you pull the fire button, your character will automatically use the ADS. This is useful for single shot weapons, decreasing the spread effect and increasing accuracy in combat. This action is not performed if the ADS (scope) is in use.
Hold down the fire button and don't worry about overheating, this MOD will maintain the perfect cooldown and press the reload button at the perfect time to get you back in the action faster.
The perfect mod for those sniper lovers out there, This mod will automatically shoot your sniper when you press ADS in one of the following ways.
Swap controller buttons to use your favorite layout.
Swap the bumper and triggers to convert your controller to Xbox/PS4 to PS3 style or vice versa.
With the Button Layout you can make any of the MODS on the Titan One work with your favorite button layout.


text:
A  é uma universidade privada localizada em Kodaira, a oeste de Tóquio. Foi fundada em 1962, mas suas raízes datam de 1929, quando era chamada de Escola de Arte de Teikoku, tornando-se Escola de Arte de Musashino em 1948.

No começo, a instituição ministrava aulas de belas artes e design industrial; mais tarde, acrescentou a seu programa arquitetura, moda e vários outros campos.

Ex-alunos famosos
 Taku Aramasa, fotógrafo
 Hiroki Endo, mangaka
 Koji Ishikawa, ilustrador
 Satoshi Kon, cineasta de animes
 Fusako Kuramochi, mangaka
 Ryū Murakami, romancista e cineasta
 Yurie Nagashima, photographer
 Soji Shimada, romancista
 Yuko Shimizu, designer
 Keita Takahashi, designer de jogos
 Yellow Tanabe, mangaka
 Yoshihiko Wada, pintor
 Yoshiharu Sekino, antropólogo cultural

Ligações externas
 Página oficial

Universidades do Japão

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


I'm a tenant. Can I put the place that I rent on Airbnb?
Home Commercial Property Blog I'm a tenant. Can I put the place that I rent on Airbnb?
Short-term rental arrangements have taken the world by storm as they boast giving guests a memorable and authentic experience of the city they're staying in. If you own a house or an apartment, Airbnb or other short-term letting platforms can be fairly straight forward to use however, if you're a tenant who wishes to short-term let the premises that you're occupying, the waters become a lot muddier – as evident in a recent Supreme Court decision and Appeal in Victoria where a tenant hosted Airbnb guests without the consent of the landlord.
How does short-term letting work?
Airbnb, Stayz and other similar platforms work by allowing hosts that own a premises to rent or lease it to a visitor for a short-term stay. The platform receives a commission of the fees.
The Applicant, the landlord, owned an apartment which was rented to the Respondents. The tenants used the Airbnb platform to make the apartment available for guests to stay for a minimum of three days or a maximum of five days – despite the fact that the lease stipulated that landlord consent was needed before subletting or parting with possession the apartment.
The case hinged on whether the Airbnb arrangement was in fact a 'sublease' or alternatively, just a 'licence' to occupy the apartment. To determine this, consideration was made as to whether the guests had exclusive possession of the premises during their stay. In the first instance, the court found that the Airbnb guests had a 'licence' as opposed to a sublease and therefore, there was no breach of the lease as they didn't need the landlord's consent.
The landlord appealed the decision on the basis that the Tribunal failed to thoroughly consider some of the more specific details around whether the arrangement was a 'licence' or a 'sublease'. After further consideration, the appeal was granted and the tenant was found to be in breach of the lease. The court reasoned that whilst the stay was only for a short period of time, the occupancy was the same as sublease as guests had exclusive possession of the premises during their stay.
This decision demonstrates the complexities tenants can have in regards to short-term letting platforms when they don't own the property in question. It is therefore important for both landlords and tenants to examine the relevant provisions of their lease and to keep the possibility of short term letting in mind when signing future leases.
What obligations must I be aware of when terminating a lease?


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Q: Editing jira issues in a grid I am looking for a plugin that will allow me to edit searched jira issues in a grid - much like excel. Couldn't really find one in the jira market place section or on google. So question 1 - is there a plugin (free or paid) that I can use to do this.
I also looked at what it would take to create a custom plugin to support this functionality. I looked at Jira Search Request View. I was wondering if we can use this with a view that allows editing of the individual fields displayed in the search grid. I will have to figure out the details on how inline editing would work and how stuff would get saved, but at a high level does this sound plausible?
Note - This approach may sound naive, but I have no background in doing development on Jira API

A: With JExcel  you can edit JIRA issues just like in Excel.
https://marketplace.atlassian.com/plugins/com.moresimp.jexcel
I hope it helped,
Regards,
Janos


How can one view the Metadata content?
How to be a user of NSDI Portal?
How to become a member of SL NSDI?
How to publish a map service?
How to publish links to geographic data and maps?
How will the GIS users and others find my content?
IN 1996 - A TECHNICAL PAPER ON THE REQUIREMENT OF A NATIONAL SPATIAL DATA WAS PUBLISHED.
IN 2014 –INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANT DR LESLEY ARNOLD FROM AUSTRALIA PRODUCED THREE REPORTS ON THE WAY FORWARD TOWARDS A NSDI FOR SRI LANKA.
What are Fundamental Geographic Data Sets (FGDS)?
What are the best practices for Catalog/Resource (Datasets/Apps) contribution?
What is relationship between accuracy and scale?
What is Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI)?
What is the importance Map Viewer feature has got in Sri Lanka Geo Portal?
What is the Sri Lanka National Spatial Data Infrastructure (SL NSDI)?
What kind of content can we publish?
What kinds of data for GIS are available on the Sri Lanka Geo Portal?
What kinds of documents are available?
What scales are relevant for the SL NSDI?
What type of content can be found in Sri Lanka Geo Portal?
Who publishes on the Sri Lanka Geo Portal?


« BENISE – Strings of Passion: 10 Year Anniversary World Tour!
South, and examining the long road to healing.
There will be a post screening Q&A with the producer Jude Hagin.
the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information on the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation visit http://www.midatlanticarts.org.


 Cancelled Stock Invest S.I.
 Duplicate RO for correct amount/After indemnity/After correction.
Shares :- Non-receipt of certificates in/after.
 Exchange of Allotment letter.
Note :- 1) Separate Format for each Complaint / Company.
2) No Additional Enclosures required.
3) The 1st reminder should be addressed so the LSEA only after 30 days from the receipt of the letter to the Exchange.In case we do not receive reply within 60 days from you, the complaint will be presumed as resolved.


We set out a few facts to clarify the legal position surrounding ownership of what is often a very expensive statement of love.
The ultimate day of romance is fast approaching and it is expected that over one million people will become engaged on Valentine's Day. Although everyone wishes for a fairy tale ending, not all wishes come true.
Along with heartbreak and disappointment, there are a number of other important issues that couples need to consider. For instance, If your fiancée breaks off the engagement, who gets to keep the ring?
If my fiancé(e) breaks off our engagement, can I ask for the ring to be returned?
In broad terms, an engagement ring is given as an 'absolute gift' and, as such, belongs to the person to whom it was given. The law takes no account of which partner calls off the engagement. Regardless of who broke off the relationship the ring does not have to be given back.
This is the one important exception. If the ring is given on the condition, stated or implied, that it should be returned if the marriage does not go ahead, the ring would have to be given back. However in practical terms, unless you've taken the romantic step of getting that in writing, then it may not be as simple as that.
The ownership of engagement rings seems simple on the face of it, but there are one or two catches and it is very important that couples understand the legal position on ownership to avoid making a break-up more difficult.
Ownership of the ring could be specified in a pre-nuptial agreement drawn up between the couple. However 'pre-nups', as they are often called, are not strictly legally binding in the UK. If either of the couple wanted to be certain the ring would be returned should the marriage be called off, they would need to draft a written agreement specifically to this effect for their intended to sign.
Thankfully, as a nation we are still fairly romantic and honourable which can help resolve these matters privately and avoid creating a legal battle!
Thankfully, as a nation we are still fairly romantic and honourable which can help resolve these matters privately and avoid creating a legal battle.


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Q: Calculate Shortest Path given only starting node in a matrix Consider below matrix and calculate shortest path to reach nearest index having value 2.
Start node: (1,2)
Mat = [
    2,0,1,0,0,1
    1,0,1,1,0,0
    2,1,0,0,1,2
    1,0,1,0,0,1
    0,0,2,1,1,2
    0,0,1,1,2,1

]
Please give me any clue how we can find the shortest path route in this problem.

A: You can apply a basic BFS to search for the nearest 2 from a particular starting index.


The designer Isabella Idberg was born and raised in Karlshamn, Blekinge. She left the small town after graduation to study fashion at Long Beach City College, Los Angeles. Studies at Beckmans College of design led her to Stockholm where later also the brand ISABELLA IDBERG was born.
Through travels her design has gotten more and more inspired by dance and "street culture". Every garment is handmade and made to order. She makes unique and exclusive sportswear. with a thoughtful design process. Isabella focus on design more than trend, to make sustainable fashion clothes that last for a long time.
The oversized hood is the signature piece for ISABELLA IDBERG.
I created a poster about her profession.


text:
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When is spring training for the New York Yankees?
The New York Yankees announced when their spring training workouts will start in 2018 and their full Grapefruit League schedule. Pitchers and catchers will report to Tampa, Florida, on Feb. 13. Their first workout will be the next day.
Who are the starting pitchers for the New York Yankees?
List of New York Yankees Opening Day starting pitchers. The other pitchers with three or more Opening Day starts for New York are CC Sabathia (6), Lefty Gomez (6), Red Ruffing (5), Jack Chesbro (4), Roger Clemens (4), Bob Shawkey (4), Ray Caldwell (3), Jimmy Key (3), Vic Raschi (3), and most recently Masahiro Tanaka (3). Jimmy Key holds the Yankee record for best Opening Day record with a perfect 3–0.
What channel is the New York Yankees game on?
DIRECTV will air games three and four of the American League Championship Series between the New York Yankees and Houston Astros in 4K. The games, which will be produced by Fox Sports, will air on DIRECTV's live 4K channel, which is channel 106.
Search Results related to new york yankees schedule 2020 calendar on Search Engine
New York Yankees Schedule | New York Yankees
https://www.mlb.com/yankees/schedule
Plane icon. There are no games scheduled for this date. No games match the filters selected. Or, view the full season with these filters.. All Times ET unless otherwise noted. Game times subject to determination by, among others, MLB and its television partners. Any future start-time changes to these games will also be accompanied by a change ...
New York Yankees 2020 Schedule - Game Day Schedules
gamedaycalendar.com
https://www.gamedaycalendar.com/schedules/mlb/nyy/2020/3
2020. 2021. 2022. The 2020 New York Yankees Schedule has not been released yet. Check in here every day for info on the 2020 New York Yankees Schedule release date & today's Major League Baseball game scores. Click here for the 2021 New York Yankees Schedule. Tweets by …
Yankees Downloadable Schedule | New York Yankees
https://www.mlb.com/yankees/schedule/downloadable-schedule
Please Right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac) to save the file to your Desktop. When naming the file, be sure to append ".csv" to the end of the file name. For example, if you would like to name the schedule "Baseball", please save the file as "Baseball.csv". Save the file to …
2022 New York Yankees Schedule | ESPN
https://www.espn.com/mlb/team/schedule/_/name/nyy/new-york-yankees
35 rows · Visit ESPN to view the New York Yankees team schedule for the current and …
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35 rows · 10:10 AM. Tickets as low as $30. Tue, Mar 29. vs New York. 10:05 AM. Tickets as …
2022 New York Yankees Schedule - MLB - CBSSports.com
https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/NYY/new-york-yankees/schedule/regular/
124 rows · Jul 02, 2011 · Full New York Yankees schedule for the 2022 season including …
https://www.silive.com/yankees/index.ssf/2017/11/when_does_yankees_2018_spring.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_New_York_Yankees_Opening_Day_starting_pitchers
kgbanswers.com
http://www.kgbanswers.com/how-many-times-have-the-new-york-yankees-won-the-world-series/4186224


text:
Desus & Mero's Move to Showtime Could Shake Up Late Night for Good
The dynamic pair is about to hit a much bigger platform—where those who haven't met them yet will finally learn why their Viceland series has legions of devoted fans.
By Bryan Bedder/Getty Images.
At this point, it seems a new late-night show gets announced every day. Netflix is assembling a small empire of talk shows, helmed by hosts including Michelle Wolf, Norm MacDonald, Joel McHale, and soon, Hasan Minhaj, while Busy Philipps preps a talk show for E! and the team behind the humor site Reductress is assembling its own pilot for Comedy Central. Still, Monday's announcement should rouse even the most exhausted comedy fan: Desus Nice and The Kid Mero are taking their double act to Showtime, with a new weekly program.
Nearly two years after the premiere of their Viceland show, Desus & Mero, the dynamic duo is moving to Showtime, which offers a much larger platform and a whole new audience. According to Deadline, the two will host a weekly half-hour program on the premium cable network that's set to premiere in 2019. The series will be historic for Showtime, which until now has never launched a talk show. As the network's president, David Nevins, told Deadline, "We have waited a long time to enter the talk-show space, and we were only going to do it if we felt like we had the next big thing. Desus and Mero feel like exactly that: They have knockout comedic voices, they're brilliant interviewers, and they always have a unique take on culture both high and low. They have a loyal and devoted fan base that will only multiply, and we can't wait to see them take it to the next level on Showtime."
If it seems like Showtime is placing a big bet on these two, the play is well founded. Ever since the launch of their first show together—Complex TV's Desus vs. Mero—the two have built a reputation based on their great chemistry and refreshing spontaneity. Especially since their 2016 premiere on Viceland, the two have become known, especially among a certain set of Web-savvy TV fans, for their ability to operate essentially without a net, breezing through off-the-cuff takes on all the day's news, as curated, often, from Twitter. Their staff is lean and their approach eschews the deeply ingrained formats—e.g., monologues—that have come to characterize most other late-night shows. Although their ratings are no match for more traditional broadcast and cable programs, their audience has steadily grown—and as the two move to a more traditional platform, it stands to reason their following is about to get a lot bigger.
But what will this new series look like? Per the *Times,* the two envision a series that combines elements from The Daily Show and Chappelle's Show. Expect the same approach as their current series, which is expected to end on June 28, but with a bigger budget—meaning more visual aids, sketches, and a couple of correspondents. The one thing that might make this move tough is the format—a half-hour program that will air weekly, rather than nightly. With so much news happening so quickly, it can be difficult to make a weekly program feel up to speed. Some shows, like Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, avoid even trying by focusing on longer takes rather than news. Others, like Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, simply focus on the topics that interest them—which are sometimes timely, sometimes not.
Whatever the series's construction, this move is a big step both for Desus and Mero, and for Showtime. Right now, despite all the new entries into the genre, the late-night landscape still feels overwhelmingly traditional—and, despite the presence of hosts including Trevor Noah, Robin Thede, and Wyatt Cenac, pretty white. This move will bring an infusion of unpredictability and perspective that many late-night fans have been craving—assuming they haven't already been devouring Desus & Mero on Viceland or YouTube. And for those that are already in the know, the series will be all the more easy to stream. Bottom line? This seems like a win for everyone.
bodegahive
Desus and Mero Have Conquered the Five Boroughs and Late Night—What's Next?
The Viceland hosts on their five-borough tour of New York, the D.J. Envy feud, and Cynthia Nixon's run for governor.
The Best New TV Shows of 2017
Featuring rebellious handmaids, discontented Monterey moms, and an ambiguous dick-drawing teen.
By Joanna Robinson and Richard Lawson
Can Action Bronson Make It as a Late-Night Star?
Or, perhaps more accurately, can late night survive Action Bronson?
By Dan Adler


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Brittney Griner's Sentence Renews Pressure on President Biden
August 5, 2022 by Staff Reporter
WASHINGTON — Immediately after a Moscow judge handed down Brittney Griner's nine-year prison sentence on Thursday, calls grew louder for President Biden to find a way to bring her home.
"We call on President Biden and the United States government to redouble their efforts to do whatever is necessary and possible," the Rev. Al Sharpton said in a statement.
U.S. officials and analysts had been resigned to a guilty verdict for Ms. Griner, a basketball star who plays for a Russian team during the W.N.B.A. off-season. But the cold reality of her sentence on a drug charge was a shock and renewed calls for Mr. Biden to secure her release — even as critics fumed that offering to swap prisoners with Moscow rewards Russian hostage-taking.
The result is a painful quandary for the Biden administration as it tries to maintain a hard line against President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia over his war in Ukraine.
"There's nothing good here," said Andrea Schneider, an expert on international conflict resolution at Cardozo School of Law. "No matter what Biden does, he's going to be criticized — either that we're giving too much or we're not working hard enough."
Kremlin officials had said that any potential deal could not proceed before her trial was complete, creating a glimmer of hope that the verdict might open the door for an exchange. But analysts called that unlikely anytime soon.
"I don't think this is going to get resolved quickly," said Jared Genser, a human rights lawyer who represents Americans held by foreign governments. "I think the fact that Putin has not said yes right away means that he's looked at the U.S. offer and said, 'Well, that's their first offer. I can get more than that.'"
That U.S. offer, first presented to Russia in June, sought the release of Ms. Griner and Paul N. Whelan, a former Marine arrested in Moscow and convicted of espionage in 2020.
The Biden administration proposed to trade the two Americans for the notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who is midway through a 25-year federal prison sentence for offering to sell arms to a Colombian rebel group that the United States then considered a terrorist organization.
The proposal has already reshaped U.S. diplomacy toward Russia, which had been frozen at senior levels since Mr. Putin's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine. A phone call about the matter on July 29 between Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and his Russian counterpart, Sergey V. Lavrov, was their first conversation since the war began. But it appeared to leave the Kremlin unmoved. The White House says Russia has made an unspecified "bad faith" counteroffer that the United States is not taking seriously.
What to Know About the Brittney Griner Case
On Friday, Mr. Lavrov told reporters that the two nations would continue discussing the issue through established channels. He repeated the Kremlin's insistence that the United States not discuss the negotiations in public, though Russian media outlets began linking Mr. Bout's case to Ms. Griner's early this summer.
But the pressure is lopsided. While Mr. Putin has long sought Mr. Bout's release, perhaps out of loyalty to a man with deep ties to Russia's security state, the arms dealer's continued imprisonment costs Mr. Putin little. Time, in other words, is in Mr. Putin's favor.
Mr. Biden, on the other hand, finds himself squeezed from two sides.
On one side are Ms. Griner's supporters. Her wife, Cherelle Griner, has made public pleas for Mr. Biden to cut a deal with Mr. Putin as soon as possible. Those pleas have been echoed by Mr. Sharpton, Democratic activist groups, television pundits, pro athletes and celebrities on social media. (Mr. Sharpton on Thursday also called for the release of Mr. Whelan.)
"How could she feel like America has her back?" the N.B.A. superstar LeBron James said in mid-July. "I would be feeling like, 'Do I even want to go back to America?'"
That was before Mr. Biden's proposal to free Mr. Bout became public. Officials said they disclosed the offer, which was confirmed last week by a person briefed on the talks, to increase pressure on Russia. But the revelation may have also reflected a desire to show Ms. Griner's backers that Mr. Biden was not sitting on his hands.
"We believe it's important for the American people to know how hard President Biden is working to get Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan home," John F. Kirby, a White House national security spokesman, said at the time. "We think it's important for their families to know how hard we're working on this."
The Plight of Brittney Griner in Russia
The American basketball star has endured months in a Russian prison on charges of smuggling hashish oil into the country.
After Ms. Griner was sentenced on Thursday, Mr. Biden renewed his commitment to "pursue every possible avenue to bring Brittney and Paul Whelan home safely as soon as possible."
The White House would not say how Mr. Biden might achieve that goal, however. "I don't think it would be helpful to Brittney or to Paul for us to talk more publicly about where we are in the talks and what the president might or might not be willing to do," Mr. Kirby said.
But almost any additional offers would be sure to amplify criticism from Mr. Biden's other flank — and charges that Mr. Biden was bending to extortion by Mr. Putin, a man he has called a war criminal.
"This is why dictatorships — like Venezuela, Iran, China, Russia — take Americans hostage, because they know they'll get something for it," Rep. Mike Waltz, Republican of Florida, told Newsmax last week. "They know eventually some administration will pay. And this just puts a target on the back of every American out there."
Mike Pompeo, the former secretary of state, echoed the criticism in a Fox News interview last week, saying that to free Mr. Bout would "likely lead to more" Americans being arrested abroad. And former President Donald J. Trump, who when in office prided himself on freeing detained Americans abroad, slammed the proposed deal in crude terms.
Mr. Bout, he said, was "absolutely one of the worst in the world, and he's going to be given his freedom because a potentially spoiled person goes into Russia loaded up with drugs." (Russian officials who detained Ms. Griner at a Moscow-area airport in mid-February found less than one gram of cannabis vape oil in her bags.)
Mr. Genser, the lawyer for other detained Americans, noted that Mr. Biden has an option beyond raising his offer. He could seek new ways to make Mr. Putin suffer.
"You need to dramatically elevate the cost to Vladimir Putin of keeping them detained," Mr. Genser said. "It's not only about giving Putin what he wants. It's about simultaneously raising the pain for him."
That is no easy task, however. Biden administration officials have spent months trying to devise ways to incur enough pain on Mr. Putin to make him cease his invasion of Ukraine. Like the freedom of Ms. Griner and Mr. Whelan, that goal, too, remains elusive.


The DoD Podcast is the official podcast for the Dad's of Destiny. Join your host TwoLoudtx and his co-hosts Nolxero, POPEBEAR, and Hambone every Monday as they chat about games and parenting. This is the only place where Dads can be 100% correct, 100% of the time.


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NBA tells teams that coaches' challenges are coming
The NBA told teams on Friday that coaches may challenge one call per game next season, provided the measure gets expected approval from the board of governors. According to the memo, coaches will be allowed to challenge a called foul, an out-of-bounds violation, goaltending violation or basket...
University of Connecticut President Susan Herbst, seated center, signs a contract on Wednesday, June 26, 2019, on the school's campus in Storrs, Conn., to move most of the schools athletic teams from the American Athletic Conference to the Big East. (AP Photo/Pat Eaton-Robb)
UConn rejoins Big East for hoops, other sports; not football
STORRS, Conn. (AP) — UConn is heading back to the Big East. The University of Connecticut Board of Trustees on Wednesday accepted an invitation to move its basketball and most other athletic teams from the American Athletic Conference. University President Susan Herbst signed a contract with the...
FILE - In this June 4, 2019, file photo, UCLA's Rachel Garcia pitches against Oklahoma during the first inning of Game 2 of the best-of-three championship series in the NCAA softball Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City. UCLA softball player Rachel Garcia has been named Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year. Garcia was presented with the Honda Cup on Monday night, June 24, 2019, in a ceremony at Galen Center on the USC campus.(AP Photo/Alonzo Adams, File)
UCLA's Rachel Garcia wins Collegiate Woman Athlete of Year
LOS ANGELES (AP) — UCLA softball player Rachel Garcia has earned the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year award. Garcia was presented with the Honda Cup on Monday night in a ceremony at Galen Center on the USC campus. The junior pitcher from Palmdale, California, was selected most outstanding...
CORRECTS BYLINE TO CHRIS PIZZELLO INSTEAD OF RICHARD SHOTWELL - NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo, of the Milwaukee Bucks, reacts as he accepts the most valuable player award at the NBA Awards on Monday, June 24, 2019, at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Teary-eyed Antetokounmpo wins NBA MVP honors
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks fell two games short of the NBA Finals. They won big at the NBA Awards. A tearful Giannis Antetokounmpo earned Most Valuable Player honors, Mike Budenholzer won Coach of the Year, and Jon Horst took Executive of the Year on Monday night in Santa...
NBA coach Mike Budenholzer, of the Milwaukee Bucks, accepts the coach of the year award at the NBA Awards on Monday, June 24, 2019, at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
The Latest: Rudy Gobert of Utah wins Defensive Player
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) — The Latest on the NBA Awards show in Santa Monica, California (all times local): 7:50 p.m. Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz has won Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season at the NBA Awards. The 26-year-old center from France beat out Giannis...
Ex-Sacramento Kings exec gets 7 years for siphoning $13.4M
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A former top Sacramento Kings executive was sentenced Monday to seven years in prison for siphoning $13.4 million from the team. Jeffrey David, 44, the team's former chief revenue officer, pleaded guilty in December to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. David diverted...
FILE - In this May 28, 2019, file photo, Connecticut Sun center Jonquel Jones shoots over the Indiana Fever defense during a WNBA basketball game, in Uncasville, Conn. Led by Jones, the Sun (8-1) have won their last six games and have started to put a little distance between themselves and the rest of the league. (Sean D. Elliot/The Day via AP, File)
Fever have travel woes getting home from Seattle
The Indiana Fever had quite an adventure getting back home after finishing off a three-game road trip in Seattle this weekend. Suffice to say, Fever veteran Natalie Achonwa didn't expect the trip would involve an 8 ½-hour bus haul. "Control the controllables. ... outside of that, I'm just along for...
FILE - In this Aug. 1, 2018, file photo, Dikembe Mutombo speaks during the opening ceremony of Basketball without Borders Africa in Johannesburg, South Africa. U.S. health officials are turning to a basketball hall of famer for help in one of the deadliest Ebola outbreaks in history. Dikembe Mutombo is regarded as one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history and is a well-known philanthropist in his native Congo. He recorded radio and video spots designed to persuade people to take precautions and get care that might stop the disease's spread. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
US officials recruit Dikembe Mutombo for Ebola messages
NEW YORK (AP) — Unable to send disease fighters to help battle one of the deadliest Ebola outbreaks in history, U.S. health officials are turning to basketball hall of famer Dikembe Mutombo for help. Mutombo, regarded as one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history and a well-known...
AP sources: UConn in talks to move back into Big East
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A University of Connecticut official says the school is working to leave the American Athletic Conference and return to the Big East for basketball and other sports. The official confirmed Saturday that there have been talks with the Big East, but said they were not aware any...
Washington Wizards basketball team introduce Rui Hachimura, the team's first-round pick in the 2019 NBA Draft during a press conference at Capital One Arena in Washington, Friday, June 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Japan hails Hachimura's NBA selection as new era for sport
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese basketball officials, fans and media hailed the selection of Rui Hachimura in the NBA draft, saying the move will usher in a new era for the sport in Japan. Hachimura became the first player from Japan to get chosen in the first round of the NBA draft, taken with the No. 9...