Morten Kjaerum ist Direktor der Europäischen Agentur für Grundrechte (FRA) in Wien.
There are many reasons why the European Union and its Member States can be proud of what they have achieved in terms of fundamental rights protection. It is almost 70 years since Europe left behind one of its darkest chapters and started to build an ever closer community based on shared values, including the rule of law. Over the years, this has developed into an impressive fundamental rights landscape in the EU. However, the socio-economic crisis has put these fundamental rights to the test, and recent years have shown that EU Member States are not immune to regression in terms of rule of law standards. Moreover, the new annual report by the Fundamental Rights Agency demonstrates clearly that all Member States and indeed the EU itself are facing major challenges, from migrants drowning off the EU's coast, through unprecedented levels of mass surveillance, to murders motivated by racism or extremism, as well as childhood poverty, Roma deprivation and many other problems that risk undermining the EU's commitments to shared values.
In this sense, respect for the shared values listed in Article 2 of the Treaty on the European Union cannot be taken for granted. This gives rise to a dilemma, since the European Union is founded both politically and legally on the assumption that all EU Member States will continue to comply with the core values they share with each other as well as with the European Union. The years 2012 and 2013 witnessed a lively debate on how to guarantee that all EU Member States remain within the boundaries of the so-called 'Verfassungsbogen' or 'arco costituzionale', which draws the line between what is still acceptable from a constitutional perspective in a shared community of values – and what is not.
How does this Böckenförde dilemma relate to the European Union? There is one positive and one more negative reply to this. To start with the negative: considering the fact that the Member States build a core layer of legitimacy where the democratic will of the participating states resides and where the EU norms are implemented by national institutions and procedures, it has to be assumed that the EU is even less able to guarantee the value foundation than individual Member States are. The more positive reading is that the European Union forms an additional layer of governance that makes it possible to exercise value control in a complementary and innovative manner. A manner that is not unidirectional, sanction-oriented and hierarchical, but rather aimed at increasing mutual trust, based on dialogue, peer-evaluation and a culture of transnational constitutional exchange. Admittedly, there are limits to this approach, but there is no realistic alternative to the attempt to protect shared values together (the concept of 'protecting' shared values against one other would not appear sustainable in the long run).
In March 2014, the European Commission presented a new EU framework to strengthen the rule of law. The framework is "not designed to be triggered by individual breaches of fundamental rights or by a miscarriage of justice". Instead, it will be activated in "situations where the authorities of a Member State are taking measures or are tolerating situations which are likely to systematically and adversely affect the integrity, stability or the proper functioning of the institutions and the safeguard mechanisms established at national level to secure the rule of law." The Commission envisages a three-stage process for the mechanism whereby it could issue a public "rule of law opinion", a "rule of law recommendation" and, thirdly, activate one of the procedures laid down in Article 7 of the TEU if this was deemed necessary.
Critics of the framework have said that it "is difficult to see what the Communication adds," complaining that "no new sanctions are envisaged, and the hurdles for Article 7 ultimately remain as high as before". This, however, misses the point that the sanctioning procedure laid down in Article 7 TEU cannot be changed without Treaty amendments. There is an obvious value in the European Commission consolidating the experiences it made in the 'Hungarian case' and clarifying how it will, in the future, proceed in situations where an EU Member State runs the risk of violating Article 2 values. The Commission's communication also complements other new initiatives such as its first corruption report, presented in early 2014, and its efforts to assist the EU and Member States to "achieve more effective justice by providing objective, reliable and comparable data on the functioning of the justice systems of all Member States" through its annual "Justice Scoreboard".
While appreciating the benefits of this newly proposed rule of law framework, one should not stop at the Commission's communication, but rather recognise that there is indeed scope to move forward without having to touch the Treaties. We would like to mention three points that we believe are vital for this debate.
Firstly, the Article 2 values should be looked at in their entirety; focusing only on the rule of law might be a too limitative view on the community of values that is formed by the EU and its Member States. Secondly, it is misleading to only address individual Member States and ignore the EU's own performance in terms of value conformity. Thirdly, any 'EU framework' should be as inclusive as possible and recognise the multilevel and multi-stakeholder character of the European Union. It is of the utmost importance to include the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and other relevant EU bodies, as well as relevant actors at national level, such as national parliaments, bodies with a human rights remit and civil society. It is difficult to think of any efficient framework without buy in by all relevant actors, far beyond the usual 'Brussels machinery'.
Fifteen years ago, a group of distinguished academics called for a human rights policy for the European Union. At the time, this was motivated by the lack of coherence between internal and external policies, of systematic and reliable information bases, of coordinated knowledge, resources and of many of the EU's (then: Community) activities, of a 'human rights culture' in the EU 'apparatus', of the mainstreaming of fundamental rights, of consultation of relevant civil society actors, etc. Although a great deal has been achieved in these areas since then, a strategic framework would still have a number of advantages.
We believe that it would be unfortunate to think of an EU strategic framework as an exclusively EU owned supranational intervention. Such a framework should rather be approached as a multilevel and multi-actor setting that could help coordinate EU and Member State efforts to protect and promote fundamental rights. It is in this spirit that FRA has made the proposals contained in "An EU internal strategic framework for fundamental rights: joining forces to achieve better results", which also presents 20 different tools that could form part of such a framework.
At the level of the EU, a strategic framework could for instance provide for an audit that would examine how the EU legislator could better conform to the different mainstreaming obligations laid down in the EU Treaties. Equally, such an audit could analyse whether the current mechanisms designed to make sure that EU policies do not infringe the rights enshrined in the Charter meet expectations. Moreover, such a general assessment could be used to consider how existing EU competencies could be better utilised to promote fundamental rights and implement standards agreed upon in the context of the Council of Europe.
At national level, Member States could consider the adoption of national action plans (NAPs), which have proved to be "useful tools for clarifying the authorities' responsibilities and for identifying and addressing gaps in human rights protection". FRA research such as the EU-MIDIS survey suggests that EU Member States should also target their awareness-raising efforts better, as even where EU legislation explicitly stipulates that countries should inform citizens of their rights, as is the case in the equality directives, levels of rights awareness remain strikingly low. Building on the example of FRA's positive experience with its fundamental rights platform (FRP), individual countries could consider establishing national fundamental rights platforms that bring together government institutions and civil society to take part in a structured dialogue.
At transnational level, a strategic framework could provide for enhanced cooperation, exchange of promising practices, and peer evaluation mechanisms. In addition, a strategic framework should also put sufficient emphasis on the local level. The Charter for multilevel governance in Europe, which was recently adopted by the Committee of the Regions, rightly affirms the importance of local partnerships and the exchange of promising practices (see in this regard FRA's joined-up e-toolkit for local, regional and national public officials). Increased levels of cooperation and coordination are particularly important in countries with a federal structure, in which the implementation of fundamental rights falls under the competence of a number of authorities at various levels.
Examples like these show that a strategic framework would have to be filled with life over time, to ensure that it incorporates all relevant actors and does not end up in becoming a Brussels-driven box-ticking exercise. However, the EU institutions can nonetheless provide highly relevant advice. For instance, the institutions can supply guidelines on fundamental rights implementation related to relevant EU legislation. The Commission did this in the areas of victims' rights and family reunification, as did FRA in the context of apprehending irregular migrants or the processing of Passenger Names Records. The EU institutions could also assist in the exchange of promising practices and the provision of expert know-how wherever applicable.
At a more political level, the strategic framework would envisage a fundamental rights policy cycle, enabling relevant actors to come together in a structured dialogue over course of the year. Such a cycle would help both to guarantee that national experiences feed into EU-level policy developments, and that EU-level developments are implemented on the ground. It would further allow better coordination of fundamental rights-relevant policies approved by the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission, rendering their respective roles and activities more efficient. A variety of formats for such a policy cycle could be considered, such as an annual fundamental rights forum that brings together relevant EU actors with civil society; an inter-institutional exchange on fundamental rights between European Parliament, Council and European Commission, or an action plan for the protection and promotion of fundamental rights within the EU.
Just like its Member States, the EU itself suffers from a Böckenförde-dilemma. Moreover, from a more legal perspective, the EU's means to intervene in areas outside its legislative competence remain limited. However, the EU does offer a vital additional layer of governance that allows all Member States to exchange experiences and increase their willingness to accept constructive criticism as an expression of a shared fundamental rights culture. Fundamental rights are central to the value debate, as the Charter of Fundamental Rights can be read as an operational version of the Article 2 values. Taking fundamental rights seriously is thus an excellent way of guaranteeing coherence within the EU's community of values. Protecting and promoting fundamental rights is a means of working proactively to prevent rule of law crises. Moreover, a decline in regard for fundamental rights can indicate systemic deficiencies in the rule of law.
The Council of the European Union recently tabled the idea of a 'Union internal strategy on fundamental rights'. This is a promising and exciting step. Now it is crucial to gain support at all layers of governance. Due to the limited legislative competencies of the Union and its specific nature as a mixtum compositum, it would be greatly beneficial if the EU Member States could complement the fundamental rights strategy with something akin to a peer-review process on the Article 2 values. Let's start thinking creatively about how we can not only uphold the shared values in the EU, but also develop them. Not in order to reject diversity, but in order to create trust in our unifying community of values.
SUGGESTED CITATION Kjaerum, Morten; Toggenburg, Gabriel N.: Valuing the values and diluting the dilemma: a call for an EU framework for fundamental rights, VerfBlog, 2014/6/12, https://verfassungsblog.de/valuing-values-diluting-dilemma-call-eu-framework-fundamental-rights/.
Blablabla. And thanks from Hungary for your great help.


Brilliant service, excellent quality. The sizing is maybe a little bigger than expected but I'd rather that than too small!
Even though they missed the time guarantee, they solved the issue very quickly and gave me a voucher. The T-shirt was great print!
All shirts are amazing and very well made, however one of the pack is missing its back print.


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Aguirre Highlighted The Good Game
Good Game
Diego Aguirre indicated after the match against Cerrito, which culminated in a 4-0 victory, that Peñarol played "a good match, just like against Cerro."
"We found the way to goals again and got a very clear difference," added La Fiera.
The coach highlighted "the desire that the team put in" and pointed out that "playing like this, it is difficult for Peñarol to lose."
Diego Aguirre did not save praise for Cerrito and indicated that "they planned the game very well, they played in good form, I liked it a lot, but at one point they were overcome."
Likewise, the Peñarol coach could not hide the difference made by the goal scored by Sergio Leal 18 seconds into the game. "I also thought we were going to be calmer, because in the first half we didn't create more than a couple more goal situations and the first part of the game was very even," said the former scorer.
Aguirre said that it is important that "all the members of the establishment have their opportunity and within the possible use all the changes".
On the other hand, the coach said that "victories reassure and it was what we needed so that everything goes the normal way that everything should go. What happens is that in previous games we had also played well, but they wanted us to believe that it was all wrong, and it wasn't. You have to be calm and as the team found the goals, everything was going to go well.
Finally, Aguirre said that he does not consider winning the championship in such a strong way. "We must think game after game, win and then see if it gives us to stay with the first tournament of the year. This is very even and anyone can get points from you. If we play like against Cerro or Cerrito, it makes a difference," he explained the coach of Peñarol.
The Best Players From the Premier League 2021
The Premier League has always set a high standard for football and helped players produce their best. Despite being a weird season for football, players have managed to shine and help their clubs reach European glory. Due to that, we can always look into the best players from the league and understand how things have come up towards the end of the season. Hence, go ahead and read more about the best players from the Premier League 2021.
The leading goal scorer for Tottenham and the entire league is clearly someone worth exploring. Harry Kane has always come forward to help his team score the right goals, despite Tottenham not being able to achieve silverware. His remarkable spirit and talent are all visible, and he is now in competition with Mohamed Salah of Liverpool for the Golden Boot. Thanks to that, Kane is clearly one of the best in the league, and he still has a lot to offer.
Bruno Fernandez has had a transformative effect on Manchester United, and it has worked to the fullest. The Portuguese international has scored a ton of goals for the club and has managed to lift them to a whole new extent. Thanks to his extensive set of heroics and Ole's strategic decision-making skills, fans of United can look towards another great season as their team comes close to being the ones on top.
The fact that Ruben Dias is only 23 is both exciting for City and alarming for the rest of the clubs. As a defender who was bought for £65million, Dias was quick to show his worth and let the fans know that he is home. Dias has been at the top of his game this season and has blocked a number of goals from all kinds of strikers. Due to his excellent set of skills and a combined team effort, City sees themselves heading towards the final of the Champions League, where they will face Chelsea.
The Jesse Lingard story is some of the best comeback stories that you will ever hear in recent times. After suffering a huge blow at Manchester United, Lingard went ahead to be sent off on loan to West Ham. And from January, Lingard began showcasing his talent and ultimately became one of the best players in the league. With a wide number of assists, goals, and a lot more, Lingard was quick to take things forward and help the world understand that it is not the end of his career.
While the league has clearly showcased more talent, we believe a list of four needs to be the best. Hence, that was our take on the best Premier League players of 2021.
Everyone knows that Penarol is my life
Carlos Bueno is more than a forward scorer for Peñarol. He is a fan infiltrated on the field. He is dying for this shirt and dreams of one day, when he leaves football, returning to Amsterdam to cheer on the team.
"Everyone knows that Peñarol is my life. I leave my life for this club and I do not change it for anything," confessed the forward.
"Now I'm in the club, playing in the first, like my idols, who was going to see the stands, and I'm going to fight it until the end for the club," he added.
The club's crest has been tattooed on his heart for a year and a half. "The thing is that one is more of a fan than one imagines. When I am on the court many times I behave as a fan rather than as a player. I am both at the same time," said the Artiguense.
Name: Carlos Eber Bueno Suárez
Date of birth: May 10, 1980
Place of birth: Artigas
Weight: 72 kilos
Height: 1.78 meters
Career: First of Peñarol since 1999.
"I feel the things that happen to Peñarol as a fan. I feel the same way as the fans when the team loses or draws a draw," Bueno said.
Carlos Bueno played for Wanderers de Artigas and, at the beginning of 1997, he arrived in Peñarol.
As soon as he arrived in Montevideo, he went to the Santa Rita school complex to train with the club's fifth division.
That year he became the division's top scorer with 24 goals and was summoned by Víctor Púa for the sub-20 team that participated in the South American of Argentina in 1999.
The player recalled that in 1997 and 1998 he went with some friends from the interior to Amsterdam to see the team. "Now it's my turn to be inside and I don't want to disappoint anyone. I want to score a lot of goals for the club, but the most important thing is that Peñarol wins, no matter who scored."
"When one has scoring streaks, the important thing is to maintain them for personal good, but also for the rest of the teammates, with whom we share many things throughout the year," said Bueno.
On the other hand, he pointed out that he enjoys this personal moment, although he hopes that the team will find the winning path. "I am calm. If I can make one or two goals better, but that Peñarol wins is what is really important," said the Artiguense.
In this sense, he added that the club's winning mystique must be maintained "for those who have just arrived and also for those who return."
It is Still Viable To Sell Players From Club To Club
Sometimes It Helps To Win Anyway

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Amy Coney Barrett's Views Threaten All People With the Capacity for Pregnancy, Including Anti-Abortion Mothers Like Her
October 21st, 2020 Homepage Featured, Pregnancy and Personhood, Pregnancy Loss, Pregnancy, Labor and Birth
Call Your Senators and Tell Them to Oppose Barrett's Confirmation
In 2006, President Trump's nominee to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Amy Coney Barrett, signed an advertisement announcing a commitment not only to ending abortion but also to defending "the right to life from the moment of fertilization until natural death.
ACTIVIST UPDATE: NAPW and Justice Ginsburg's unfinished work
September 24th, 2020 Abortion, Civil Commitment & Other Detentions, Criminalization, Forced Treatment & Medical Intervention, Homepage Featured, Human Rights, Pregnancy and Drug and Alcohol Use, Pregnancy and Personhood, Pregnancy Loss, Pregnancy, Labor and Birth California v. Chelsea Becker, Mississippi v. Latice Fisher, Oklahoma v. Green
Dear Friends and Allies,
I learned that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had died when Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum announced this loss at the end of Rosh Hashanah high holiday services at CBST. My wife and I "attended" services by zoom. Like most of you reading this email, we were devastated, not only by the loss of this extraordinary woman, but also by the new threat to the survival of our constitutional democracy now that there is the possibility of another Trump appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court.
NAPW and Justice Ginsburg's Unfinished Work
September 21st, 2020 Abortion, Criminalization, Homepage Featured, Pregnancy and Drug and Alcohol Use, Pregnancy and Personhood, Pregnancy Loss, Pregnancy, Labor and Birth
Picture: Lynn M. Paltrow with Ferguson Plaintiff Paula Hale
at the U.S. Supreme Court (more…)
Documentary film PERSONHOOD is Awarded the 2020 ABA Silver Gavel Award!
July 17th, 2020 Civil Commitment & Other Detentions, Pregnancy and Personhood Wisconsin's Act 292
Exciting News!!
Personhood, a feature documentary film, has been awarded the American Bar Association's 2020 Silver Gavel Award for Media and the Arts. PERSONHOOD focuses on the case of Tamara Loertscher, who brought a federal lawsuit challenging Wisconsin's Unborn Child Protection Act (Act 292) with NAPW, the NYU School of Law Reproductive Justice Clinic, and Perkins-Coie as her lawyers.
62 Days Webinar
March 16th, 2020 Human Rights, Pregnancy and Personhood, Pregnancy, Labor and Birth
NAPW's Executive Director and Founder Lynn M. Paltrow, BRBA President/NAPW Attorney Indra Lusero, and Filmmaker Rebecca Haimowitz discuss 62 DAYS.
Lynn M. Paltrow Discusses Rinat Dray's Case During Staten Island Panel
December 2nd, 2019 Forced Treatment & Medical Intervention, Pregnancy and Personhood, Pregnancy, Labor and Birth Dray v. Staten Island University Hospital et al.
Some New Yorkers think that attacks on reproductive rights and health are confined to far-away places such as Alabama and Tennessee. But right here in New York City, a hospital is arguing and courts are so far accepting the idea that there is a point in pregnancy when patients lose their rights to bodily integrity and medical decision-making.
Demanding Respectful Birth on Staten Island
November 21st, 2019 Forced Treatment & Medical Intervention, Pregnancy and Personhood, Pregnancy, Labor and Birth
CNN's United Shades of America featuring NAPW Senior Staff Attorney Aarin M. Williams Wins an Emmy Award!
October 16th, 2019 Criminalization, Forced Treatment & Medical Intervention, Human Rights, Pregnancy and Drug and Alcohol Use, Pregnancy and Personhood, Pregnancy, Labor and Birth
NAPW Senior Staff Attorney Aarin M. Williams appeared on CNN's "United Shades of America" where she spoke with W. Kamau Bell about intersectionality and reproductive justice and health. She explained, "If you want healthy babies then you have to take care of the woman.
Racism, Obstetric Violence, and Black Women's Bodies" webinar (NAPW/BRBA)
June 6th, 2019 Abortion, Forced Treatment & Medical Intervention, Human Rights, Pregnancy and Personhood, Pregnancy, Labor and Birth
National Advocates for Pregnant Women (NAPW) and Birth Rights Bar Association (BRBA) are hosting a monthly webinar series featuring topics related to birth justice, reproductive justice, maternal health, and the law. During Black Maternal Health Week in April 2019, BRBA and NAPW co-sponsored a webinar entitled: "Racism, Obstetric Violence and Black Women's Bodies", with panelists Aarin Williams (Senior Staff Attorney at NAPW), Colleen Campbell, JD, Chinyere Oparah, PhD, and Oneika Bogle, that discussed the various ways Black women experience force and coercion related to pregnancy and childbirth.
Watch NAPW Senior Staff Attorney Aarin Williams on CNN's "United Shades of America"!
June 6th, 2019 Abortion, Criminalization, Human Rights, Pregnancy and Drug and Alcohol Use, Pregnancy and Personhood, Pregnancy, Labor and Birth
NAPW Senior Staff Attorney Aarin Williams was featured on the 5/19/19 episode of CNN's "United Shades of America" hosted by W. Kamau Bell. This episode, "Body Politics", focused on reproductive rights and justice in Jackson, Mississippi, and Aarin grounded the episode in a discussion of intersectionality, reproductive justice, and maternal health.


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Home Articles posted by Carol Orange
Carol Orange
Carol Orange has worked in the art world for more than twenty years. She began as a research editor on art books in London and later became an art dealer in Boston. She also worked as an advertising manager at Polaroid Corporation for the South and Central American markets. She lived in Paris for two years, where she researched George Sand's life and writing. Her short story "Delicious Dates" was included in Warren Adler's 2010 short story anthology. Another story, "Close Call," appeared in the Atherton Review, Volume 102. She currently lives in Chicago near her daughter and her family. A Discerning Eye is her debut novel.
7 Great Heist Novels, Recommended By An Art Dealer
Art theft is a big business—and a big inspiration to crime writers.
October 13, 2020 By Carol Orange


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In SAS Pre-Primary, children are exposed to the best of both worlds. They learn and grow in our warm, caring, colorful and child-centered classrooms at our huge main Campus. We are passionate about helping children develop the emotional, social and cognitive skills that will serve them well throughout their lives. The Early Learners classroom provides an environment where our youngest children can learn and grow individually while also participating in cooperative group play and lessons. Daily activities provide an opportunity for strengthening language skills, refining gross motor skills, developing fine motor skills and encouraging independence.
Our progressive curriculum allows toddlers to thrive from the comfort of routine while also developing coordination, cultivating concentration, and awakening their natural curiosity by allowing freedom to explore and discover their environment.
Our reverent Trustee Mrs.Rekha Desai wanted a separate school for our toddlers so that they can explore the world at their own pace, in a protective, safe and carefree environment.
Shiv Ashish Juniors came into existence on 16th April2016 with just handful of students. Here, the number doesn't matter but quality and learning do.
Apart from education, it also caters to the need of working parents as it has daycare facility. The staff of daycare are well trained and give motherly care to the students availing this facility.


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Social & Cultural Anthropology
The Patterning Instinct Lib/E : A Cultural History of Humanity's Search for Meaning
4.2 (202 ratings by Goodreads)
By (author) Jeremy Lent , Read by Derek Perkins , Foreword by Professor Fritjof Capra
We can notify you when this item is back in stock
This fresh perspective on crucial questions of history identifies the root metaphors that cultures have used to construct meaning in their world. It offers a glimpse into the minds of a vast range of different peoples: early hunter-gatherers and farmers, ancient Egyptians, traditional Chinese sages, the founders of Christianity, trailblazers of the Scientific Revolution, and those who constructed our modern consumer society.Taking the reader on an archaeological exploration of the mind, the author, an entrepreneur and sustainability leader, uses recent findings in cognitive science and systems theory to reveal the hidden layers of values that form today's cultural norms. Uprooting the tired cliches of the science-religion debate, he shows how medieval Christian rationalism acted as an incubator for scientific thought, which in turn shaped our modern vision of the conquest of nature. The author probes our current crisis of unsustainability and argues that it is not an inevitable result of human nature but is culturally driven: a product of particular mental patterns that could conceivably be reshaped. By shining a light on our possible futures, the book foresees a coming struggle between two contrasting views of humanity: one driving to a technological endgame of artificially enhanced humans, the other enabling a sustainable future arising from our intrinsic connectedness with each other and the natural world. This struggle, it concludes, is one in which each of us will play a role through the meaning we choose to forge from the lives we lead.
Format CD-Audio
Dimensions 133.35 x 165.1 x 12.7mm | 90.72g
Publication date 05 Sep 2017
Publisher Blackstone Audiobooks
Edition Unabridged
Edition Statement Library ed.


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About The Open Mind
Impeachment and the Righteous Republicans
Jean Guerrero
Immigration, Dignity, and U.S.-Mexico Relations
Air Date: October 16, 2018
KPBS investigative reporter Jean Guerrero discusses her new book "Crux: A Cross-Border Memoir" and reporting on Mexico.
HEFFNER: I'm Alexander Hefner, your host on The Open Mind. Today we explore a spellbinding account of Mexican American heritage, a daughter's coming of age and to terms with her father's mental health, and the way forward on immigration, political reform and border security in America. Named one of "San Diego's best people" by the San Diego City Beat. Jean Guerrero is author of "Crux: A Cross-Border Memoir." Winner of the PEN/Fusion, Emerging Writer's Prize, Guerrero is an investigative reporter covering immigration for KPBS. Her reporting was cited by a congressional inquiry about the Trump Administration's family separations policy, months before they captured the national attention. Prior to joining our ranks in public media, Guerrero was Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswire commodities correspondent in Mexico City. And it's a pleasure to have you here on the east coast. Thank you for making the journey.
GUERRERO: Thanks so much for having me.
HEFFNER: What inspired you to write this book?
GUERRERO: So I wrote this book in large part because my father has been this mystery that I've been trying to solve since I was a little girl. He was a huge part of my life when I was a child because my mother is a doctor and she was busy with patients. So my dad, he was actually a stay at home dad and he would, I spent most of my time with him when I was little girl and he was this very magical person full of wonder and curiosity, teaching me about… he would take me to Baja California and tell me about all of the things that live inside of the ocean and the tide pools. So when he eventually fell into a depression and, and became convinced that the CIA was experimenting on him and beaming voices into his head, it was a really traumatic change for me as a child and I didn't understand what was going on. My mother told me that he had paranoid schizophrenia. My father had his own fantastical tales about what the CIA was allegedly doing to him and I just wanted to figure out, I guess I became obsessed with trying to figure out what was going on with my father ever since and as an adult I decided to do it through journalism.
HEFFNER: When did you recognize as a child that this was not normal? Was there a particular moment?
GUERRERO: Yeah, I mean, my father had started doing things that I could recognize were very strange. He was wrapping himself up in aluminum foil, saying that he was doing so to block the voices of the CIA, at one point he was marching up and down the stairs with a BB gun, to scare off the CIA agents that he said he could see through the window. But I remember the first moment that I witnessed my father's sort of breakdown was, he destroyed this condominium where he was staying for a little while. He punched holes in the walls. He stripped the floor bare of its carpet. He was trying to find the hidden microphones or radio transmitters and anything to explain the voices that he heard in his head and I remember visiting that condominium as a child and it was just utterly, completely destroyed and that's when I realized that there was something, something wrong.
HEFFNER: But you also look to your own identity as a source of inspiration to overcome… Were there American or Mexican literature, film that you relied on as an outlet to better understand the mental health issue and how you hoped, you as a family and you individually could overcome that?
GUERRERO: Yeah. So I've, in recent years I've found incredible inspiration and in the work of Isabel Allende particularly her memoir "Paula," which she writes as a letter to her daughter when her daughter is in a coma, she starts to give her daughter the family history as a way of trying to resurrect her, her daughter, and it's a heartbreaking book because her daughter and never comes back to life. She actually dies. But I remember when I found that that book, which was about a year and a half into writing "Crux" I realized that this motivation that I had to save my father, to help my father, to give him a new perspective on himself and on his history, even though it wasn't necessarily a secure place from which to write, I could make that explicit in the writing. I could embrace these magical elements of my family history and of my heritage and make them explicit in the book and I would say Isabel Allende's book gave me the courage to do that. And particularly finding out that my father had this great grandmother who was known as La Divina, this is something that I found out in Mexico when I moved there to become a foreign correspondent as well as to investigate my father's past. He had this great grandmother who was a very well respected, curandera, clairvoyant. She was known as La Divina, the diviner. So she also heard voices and saw things that nobody else could see. But she was attributed with this power that she supposedly could commune with spirits. And in the book, I explore those parallels between my father and this ancestor, as a way of, as one way of understanding my father. There are many ways.
HEFFNER: That's really one of the most fascinating pieces of this. We, many of us have grandmothers or abulitas, who are dear to us. So retracing that ancestry, did it place your father ultimately in the final analysis in more of a common shared world of the fantastic that you found yourself as a news reporter divergent from, or did you ultimately reconcile those two worlds in a way that was transcending the medical issues, but speaking to the influence of story and storytelling in Mexican culture, which if you read your book or Cuban culture, in the case of Richard Blanco, you'll find that pretty resonant.
GUERRERO: Right. Yeah. You know, for me, when, what are the things that I discovered through the writing of "Crux" was that I didn't have to have just one answer that I could actually have the multiple interpretations for what was going on with my father and that this realization that reality can be contradictory, that contradictory things can be true at the same time to some extent, it was really helpful for me to come to that realization.
HEFFNER: So how about American tolerance of medical issues versus the Mexican appreciation of that magical realism as it's manifested in our lives, not just on the pages of literature. How do you distill those disparate identities in the way that you and your family coped with his illness in, you know, viewing it from the lens being stationed in Mexico City and thinking about it that way was it, was there a different understanding of what might've been transpiring with your father in Mexico than in the United States?
GUERRERO: Yeah, absolutely. So I don't want to. I never wanted to create an extreme dichotomy because is magic and fairy tales in the United States just as there's a lot of a very rigorous science in Mexico. However, yes, this realization that, that my father had these sort of magical elements to his personality came to me in Mexico also because he was doing things without even knowing about this ancestor. He created this garden of curative crops. And he's like, I went to visit him a few times and he had a cupboard full of potions and powders and tinctures, things that he was making out of these plants that he was… And this healing aspect was very much a part of my great, great grandmother's life. She was a curandera as well as a clairvoyant, a healer. So I realized that even though my father is very much a troubled person who has, without a doubt, suffered as a result of the way that he perceives the world. I also found that it was, it was sort of empowering and so sort of liberating to entertain this possibility that if seen from a different perspective, if my father started perhaps listening to some of the voices in his head and not listening to them in a literal way as in I'm going to do what they tell me to or interpret them literally, but rather to seek metaphorical insights from those voices. I felt like that could potentially, you know, liberate him from those voices. There's actually a group called intervoice that I explore in the book of, of people who have auditory hallucinations and they reject the diagnosis of schizophrenia. I'm not to say that it's not helpful for many, many people, but in their case, in the case of intervoice, they say that it's just disempowering to tell patients to reject their hallucinations rather than to engage with them. If they engage with their hallucinations, if they seek meaning in them, if they listen carefully to what they're saying and try to understand what kind of symbolic thing is being said, then they might actually be able to liberate themselves from those voices or be helped by them.
HEFFNER: The two American representations that came to mind reading your book were A Beautiful Mind and Better Call Saul. I just wanted to give you an open forum if you've seen that movie or that show because the tin foil and the hallucinations that, those are unifying themes here. Have you seen, have you seen or read about those American perspectives on schizophrenia?
GUERRERO: I've seen A Beautiful Mind and I and I definitely, it definitely resonated with me because of the fact that my father embodies these dichotomies. He, you know, he was very much a, he is a brilliant person and in a way like he always saw through to the mechanics of everything. He could align brakes, he could fix broken pipes, but then there was this dark side of it where he would do things like tap my mother's telephone line. He would use that innate instinctive knowledge of electromagnetism to do things like that. And then when he was talking to me about his theories about what the CIA was doing to him, he would always use scientific explanations. When I would press him and say how do you know that these are not hallucinations? He would say, well, because you know, whenever I would touch a piece of metal, the currents that they were sending through me with dissipate into that metal, he would do these experiments to prove what was going on. So there was an element of brilliance.
HEFFNER: Since you do courageously grapple with this, I would be very interested in your reaction to Better Call Saul, but we'll leave that as it as it is right now because there are some common themes you right here about your journey to La Ciudad de Mexico. "I moved to Mexico City on September 30th, 2010. My father's country had never been bloodier. Drug cartels were diversifying their portfolios with human trafficking, murder for hire and kidnappings for ransom. My job was to report out of the coffee plantations and cocoa farms where corpses accumulated in clandestine graves." Today in this country, we have a President and an executive branch that is constantly alluding to that fear. How do you look at that fear today from 2010 now to 2018?
GUERRERO: Right, so actually, that, that portrait of Mexico, that was actually what attracted me to Mexico in the first place because I was, my father was always from the time that I was a very small child, always encouraging me to push past the boundaries of the known, the safe, the familiar. And so when he became absent from my life, I sort of tried to recapture him by conjuring him in myself. And eventually that led me to Mexico, which was extremely appealing to me because of the opportunities that I felt it presented for covering things like human rights violations. But, this portrait of Mexico as this place of criminals and rapists that is coming out of our Administration, that's very different from the way that I have seen Mexico throughout my life. Although when I was a child, there was a time when my mother would always say, you can't go to Mexico.
HEFFNER: You said it's terrified you.
GUERRERO: It terrified me. When I was a small child I was terrified of Mexico because of the fact that, that my mother was telling me that it was a place of criminals, that it was a very unsafe place. And also because I went into southern Mexico with my father as a child when he was smoking crack. And so I like had these associations in my mind between Mexico and the darkness of my father, but exploring Mexico…
HEFFNER: You were also a child, so would terrify any child, Mexican, American who ever to be in those circumstances, but continue,
GUERRERO: Right. But this journey that I went on of, of discovering my father through Mexico and just researching the history of Mexico and being a reporter in Mexico made me realize that even though my father is this person that some many would say is detached from reality, he also gave me my journalistic instincts. I think. I think that the instincts that drive journalistic curiosity and madness are very similar. I think that they both are rooted in this sort of restlessness of mind. And I think that my fascination with Mexico that was routed somewhat in fear actually opened my eyes to a lot of the layered and complex realities that exist within Mexico.
HEFFNER: Let's talk about the geopolitical situation on which you report regularly and virally. From your perspective, what would be the most effective way to handle the border situation based on your expertise having reported this out for the last five, six years?
GUERRERO: Well, one thing I've seen and just from my conversations with sources repeatedly, everyone tells me that no matter how strong and impermeable we make the wall, people are so desperate leaving the conditions of violence in Central America that they're going to find ways across whether it's under the wall as we're seeing in San Diego, we have so many tunnels as far deep as 90 feet under the fence, very sophisticated tunnels. And then, or sometimes you see people increasingly you see people going across through the ocean, you see people using drones to get stuff over the fence. So there's always ways to get around barriers. What I've heard and what I've, you know, what my sources tell me is that if you really want to stop the problem of illegal immigration to the United States, you need to address the problem at the source and the source involves, you know, poverty, extreme problems of violence that are rooted in impunity and corruption at the governmental levels. And so you need to somehow hold governments accountable in Central America and Mexico as well for some of the problems of impunity that we've seen. And then you also need to provide economic opportunities within those, within those countries. That's what I've heard is it's a much more likely way to stop the flows that we're seeing.
HEFFNER: The conservative media prompted by Donald Trump insist that this is a crisis at the border. You're adeptly positioned to affirm that or disagree. Is it a crisis? Is there a crisis at the border? I'm talking separate from the family separation issue.
GUERRERO: So it's really hard to tell because I mean in, from one perspective, it is a crisis because you have people fleeing violence arriving at the border trying to get across into the United States legally is presenting themselves at the ports of entry and increasingly they are being told that the ports are at capacity. So the San Ysidro Port of Entry in San Diego, it's one of the busiest ports of entry in the world and the busiest in the United States. And they're constantly at capacity now; apparently they cannot receive these people. So you see lines of people forming outside of the ports who are desperately fleeing violence with their, you know, mothers with their babies, just people camping out. And so you, you go and you look at that and, and it doesn't look like, I mean, you, you may want to call it a crisis, but it's, it's so hard to tell because then you look at the other side of it, which is the fact that illegal immigration inflows are at a record low. Like if you look at the overall numbers and compare it to the 90s, there are much fewer people coming across the border today than they were before. The asylum claims have increased. But in terms of people crossing the border illegally, that, that is significantly lower.
HEFFNER: And what is the perspective since you left Mexico City, in that country now as it relates to the American leadership or the absence of American leadership and the willingness to break what has been a longstanding alliance with both Mexico and Canada? Do you hear perspectives from within Mexico, especially as the new President is taking office?
GUERRERO: Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, he's being called a populist and he's, during his victory speech this year, the summer when he won the presidency, he said that his priority was going to be the poor and that, hearing that from a Mexican president that's unprecedented for the past few decades. So it's, so a lot of people are seeing Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador as the first president in Mexico in a long time who's going to put the prayer, the interests of, of the Mexican majority above those of the minority who have trade relationships, for example, with the United States. So there is, you're seeing this sort of push away from Mexico, from the United States, but you're similarly seeing that in Mexico, I mean Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador says he wants to maintain a positive relationship with United States, but people are looking to him to stand up for Mexico in a way that we haven't seen in a long time.
HEFFNER: On the issue of children's separation, what do you view as the best-case scenario here for a compassionate treatment of these children?
GUERRERO: So some of them will be sent back to Central America to be reunited with parents who've already been deported, but there are hundreds of children who were actually being reunited with parents in the United States. And I would say the best-case scenario, there's this perception I think that once these families are reunited, the government has done its job and there's a happy ending or as happy ending is there can be given the circumstances. But in reality, on this struggle is, is far from over because first they have to go through their asylum process in a very small minority of asylum claims are actually accepted. But more importantly, the family separation that took place has caused real significant trauma in children and parents as well. You know, this is something that I've seen from talking with families personally, seeing the way that their children have reacted. They're not happy to be reunited. There may have been a moment of happiness from the reunification and they are so they're happy to have been reunited, but there's significant stress and anxiety of, of perhaps being separated again. The children, the children are having nightmares, night terrors, very clingy with their parents, crying, anger. There's a lot of anger because small children don't realize that their parents were not at fault necessarily. So the ACLU, the American Civil Liberties Union is asking a federal judge in San Diego to, to require the government to provide mental health services to the families that were separated. But, we still don't know if that's going to happen. But that's, that's, that's something that I would think would be appropriate given the significant psychological injury, which the government itself has recognized has been done to these small children, to provide mental health services because there is significant trauma that is associated with this.
HEFFNER: What did writing this book and your collective body of reporting teach you about how we alleviate the problem at its source, which is the cultural racialized resentment that enabled a president like Trump to be elected into sustained power through a bully pulpit of bigotry against Mexicans, calling Mexicans rapists at his first rally. What is the condition that you discern, in San Diego where you report and maybe more nationally where we can rectify the difficulty we have today with embracing our country is a nation of immigrants. Or maybe we just should not be manipulated by Donald Trump because in fact he represents under a third of this country and in that worldview, maybe backwards, that we're not a nation of immigrants. We are a nation of immigrants and we're a nation of proud assimilation and integration at our most ideal.
GUERRERO: Right. Yeah. You know, I think it has to do with empathy, but it also has to do with intellect you this, my book is this exploration of borders, both literal and metaphysical and the border. I see it as a perfect opportunity to advocate for curiosity, for pushing past what we know, pushing past our echo chambers, pushing past the familiar into the unfamiliar in quest of truth. And I think that, you know, when you ascribe to one story or one perspective then you do violence to your concept of reality, you really have to open your mind to the idea that there are other stories and other voices that are worth listening to. And only then can we actually grow as individuals, as societies, as families. When you, when you recognize that there, that reality is extremely complex and extremely layered and you're able to entertain these contradictory ideas in your mind it's a hard thing to do. But it's extremely rewarding when, when we open ourselves up to that.
HEFFNER: They're so lucky to have you, KPBS and our public media because that word you use, intellect. This book channels your intellectual honesty on a subject where you just have the warlords and the demagogues. You do something far more sophisticated. Thank you for that.
GUERRERO: Thank you so much. I really appreciate the time.
HEFFNER: And thanks to you in the audience. I hope you join us again next time for thoughtful excursion into the world of ideas. Until then, keep an open mind. Please visit The Open Mind website at Thirteen.org/OpenMind to view this program online or to access over 1,500 other interviews and do check us out on Twitter and Facebook @OpenMindTV for updates on future programming.
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Designation: A – 90b (Reapproved ). Standard carbon steel bars, hot rolled 1 in. diameter by 10 ft, ASTM A dated ___. SAE According to standards. ASTM A b Hot Rolled. Number. ASTM A /AM: Cold-drawn. Equivalent. USA AISI/SAE. Italy UNI. (ASTM) (Continued) ASTM A51 1 () ASTM A51 () ASTM A51 3 (a) ASTM A/AM () ASTM A () ASTM Ab.
Qstm steels are also used for a wide range of industrial applications. The specification of SBQ steels may range from plain carbon and carbon manganese steels to alloy and stainless steels containing different percentages of aluminum, nickel, chrome and other alloying elements.
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SBQ steels are used in safety critical applications. These steels are produced both in cut lengths and coils. Please first log in with a verified email before subscribing to alerts. Proceed to Checkout Continue Shopping. The internal quality of these steels is very important since machining and bending activities are qstm during the processing of these steels in subsequent stages. We have no amendments or corrections for this standard.
The chemistry of these steels is more complex than merchant quality steels. SBQ steels are used for bolts, springs, cable wires, chains, tyre beads and many similar astk in automotive industry. Special quality bar applications include forging, heat treating, cold drawing, machining, and many structural uses.
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ASTM standard 90g b covers specification for plain carbon special quality bar steels for applications which includes forging, heat treating, cold drawing, machining and many asfm uses. The term is used to describe steel long products for more demanding processing or end-use applications which cannot be met by merchant quality grades.
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The products may also include hot rolled steel bars, cold finished steel bars. As the voice of the U. Although there is no single definition, special bar quality steel can be defined as steel a56 moves rotates, twists or bends rather than stays still whilst in use.
Hot-wrought special quality carbon steel bars are produced in cut lengths and coils; the manufacturer should be consulted regarding sections and sizes available in coils, produced to a chemical composition. These steels may have many grades.
A guide for the selection of steel bars is contained in Practice A A5776 Subscribed to this document. Special bar quality SBQ steels represents a wide variety of higher quality carbon and alloy steels.
Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. The range of carbon adtm in these steels varies from grade to grade with minimum of 0. SBQ steels are at the higher end of the quality spectrum in both metallurgical consistency and dimensional accuracy. Steel cleanliness can be achieved through the integrated route or through an additional refining step and asmt iron bearing inputs into an EAF in a mini mill.
Fig 1 Some of the uses of SBQ steels in automotive industry. Most producers see ties to the automotive industry as the key drivers of the SBQ steel grades. The main application area for special bar quality steels is the automotive industry for engine, transmission, steering, suspension and hydraulic components Fig 1. Internal metallurgical quality and consistency is also achieved by a meaningful reduction asm the rolling process.
Special bar quality steel may have products of shapes which can be classified into round, square and hexagonal bars. This specification has got 53 grades under the category of non-resulfurized steels, 15 grades under the category of resulfurized steels and 5 grades under rephosphorized and resulfurized category.
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Watch how tree was turned into incredible stag sculpture at Bradgate Park
He used the stump of a 300-year old oak tree
Dave Owen
A felled oak tree on the edge of Bradgate Park has been given new life as a beautiful public art installation.
The Stag is an intricately carved, three-metre tall, wood sculpture which now greets visitors to the popular public park's Bradgate Road entrance, in Newtown Linford.
Created by artist and sculptor Peter Leadbeater, it was commissioned by Newtown Linford Parish Council after the oak tree, which has graced Charnwood Forest for 300 years, was deemed unsafe and had to be cut down.
Peter, who is resident wood sculptor and furniture maker at Leicestershire County Council's Beacon Hill Country Park, near Woodhouse Eves, created the stag using a chainsaw.
He said: "I carved it in situ on the hill on the edge of Newtown Linford, where it now stands.
"It took me around eight days to make and I'm really pleased with the finished result.
The Stag - Chainsaw tree artist Peter Leadbeater with his latest creation at Bradgate Park
"The Stag's head is in homage to the deer that the 13th century medieval park is famous for.
Peter added: "It provides quite a grand view as you come into the village and is obviously appropriate to the surroundings."
The project has been funded using donations from the community, along with a cash injection of £1,000 from the Friends of Charnwood Forest.
Paul Day, chairman of the friends group dedicated to preserving the forest environment and woodlands, said: "The county council cut down the oak tree at the top of the hill because it was unsafe.
"It left quite a large, unsightly stump and my colleague Dick Howard suggested we get it carved into a stag's head which would be very appropriate for the park.
"We searched around and were lucky that Peter agreed to do the work, which was commissioned through the parish council."
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The cost of the £1,500 artwork was paid for with the help of coffee mornings, raffles and other fund-raising events organised by the community – including a 'puddings and music' evening in the village hall featuring a performance by The N'ukes, Leicester's premier ukulele group.
Paul said: "The events were very well supported and there was a bit of money left over which we put towards planting copper beech tree saplings in All Saints Church to replace one that also had to be felled recently.
"I think the Stag sculpture is fantastic. We've had lots of compliments from people visiting the park and taking photographs.
"It's a wonderful piece of sculpture and I'd like to thank Dick, who was the driving forced behind the whole thing, for his efforts – and the generosity of the village community."
10 observations about Bradgate Park by someone who has never been there before
Newtown Linford Parish Council has also given the sculpture the thumbs up.
Clerk Pam McMorran said: "We are delighted with this impressive Stag's head.
"We'd like to thank Friends of Charnwood Forest and the local community that raised the funds for this work, in particular Dick Howard who spearheaded the fundraising."
She added: "Peter has done a great job and it's an impressive work of art, preserving the old tree that had reached the end of its life and symbolising the natural beauty contained within the parish."


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My take on this year's Nobel.
https://www.livemint.com/opinion/columns/a-nobel-for-teasing-causation-apart-from-correlation-11634141114109.html
2021 Nobel in Economics
The anticipation in advance of the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel — to give the prize its full title — is always palpable for academic economists, especially for those of us who've had the privilege of working with a future Laureate as doctoral students. To add to the sense of occasion, the Economics prize, by coincidence, happens to fall on Thanksgiving Day in Canada, a major national holiday. This year's prize was awarded to David Card (one-half share) and to Joshua Angrist and Guido Imbens (one quarter-share each), for their pathbreaking work in allowing us make credible causal claims when analyzing data.
In a sense, this year's prize is the flip side of the 2019 prize, awarded to Michael Kremer, Indian-born Abhijit Banerjee, and Esther Duflo. That trio won, in good measure, for their work in popularizing "randomized controlled trials" (RCTs), long a staple in the natural sciences, in the realm of economics research. RCTs allow us to make causal claims by randomly assigning subjects to a "control" and a "treatment" group — the randomness ensuring that any difference between the two groups can plausibly be attributed to the treatment, rather than any unobserved differences; the theory being that such differences should average out when subjects are randomized.
But, RCTs have some major limitations, which your columnist has argued in detail in these pages ("The experimental turn in economics", 30 January 2016). A key problem is "external validity" — can a finding in one context be replicated in another, very different, one? Equally importantly, because creating an RCT is not always feasible, nor even ethical, in many situations, such an approach simply cannot address some of the "big" questions in economics, which perforce require that we analyze raw, non-randomized data, but find some way to tease out causality, if it is present.
Recall at the outset that observing a statistical correlation between two variables in the data is not, in itself, evidence of a causal relationship. Take an example close to home. During the pandemic, my classes switched on-line, with a pre-recorded two-hour lecture followed by a "live" one-hour Q&A session. Attendance at the latter was highly recommended, but not mandatory. Uniformly, I observed that students who attended, and participated activity, in the discussion session performed better on the course. But is this because my discussion session allowed them to perform better? Flattering as that would be for any professor, it is equally plausible that those who were anyway going to do well chose to participate — what we call "reverse causality". Or, perhaps there were unobserved differences between those who participated and those who did not — say, access to high quality internet and the time to read, study, and discuss rather than struggling with poor internet, work, and school — which could plausibly explain the correlation instead? In other words, does non-random selection, rather than causality, matter in this case?
Economics is filled with such situations, where a correlation in the data entices us to draw a causal inference — which may be treacherous to do, in the absence of randomization, which, as noted, is impossible to achieve in most real world situations. The genius of David Card, working with the late Alan Krueger, was to find a clever solution, which was to look at a real world situation presenting as close to a natural experiment as the real world gives us — in this case, two contiguous US states which were otherwise similar, and which shared a common labour market and general macroeconomic conditions, but one of which increased the minimum wage whilst the other did not. (Interested readers may find a detailed exposition in fine write-ups on this year's prize by economist Alex Tabarok in the Marginal Revolution blog https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2021/10/the-credibility-revolution-1.html and Tim Harford in the Financial Times https://www.ft.com/content/b9387d5d-4000-4898-967b-79ac50218a45 .) By computing the "differences in differences" before and after the change and across the two jurisdictions allowed them to infer that any differential impact on unemployment was very likely driven by the policy change, not any unobserved differences.
In a similar vein, research by Angrist and Imbens, again with Krueger, in a series of papers, studied important questions such as whether increased schooling increases earnings, an obvious situation where any assumption of a unidirectional causal link may be problematic. (For instance, brighter students may study more and also earn higher incomes, both because of higher intrinsic ability.) In one seminal paper, Angrist and Krueger asked whether compulsory schooling could increase wages, and found a brilliant technique for randomization: given the oddities of the US school system, students born in late December would be one class behind those born in early January, and laws in some states allowed students to drop out at 16. The upshot is that there would be at least some students otherwise almost identical who got a year more of schooling for a purely random reason, and, these students, did indeed earn higher wages, making a causal claim tenable. (Again, check Tabarok and Harford for more details.)
The beauty of these contributions is that they were not founded on a complex and technical mathematical or statistical result that would be undecipherable to the layman, but on a simple and profound intuition of how randomization may be found even in our messy and non-random world, thus making causal inference tenable. Three cheers!
Vivek Dehejia is associate professor of economics and philosophy, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada.
My latest column asks whether Evergrande's woes me...


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Body found after farmhouse blaze near Owen Sound
CTV London Published Thursday, July 10, 2014 9:17AM EDT Last Updated Thursday, July 10, 2014 9:24AM EDT
Grey County OPP, along with the Ontario Fire Marshal's Office, continue to investigate a farmhouse fire that has now turned fatal.
Crews were called to a home on Sideroad 115 in the Township of Georgian Bluffs, northwest of Owen Sound, early Wednesday morning.
A 33-year-old woman and two boys, ages five and 11, were taken to hospital and later released. A seven-year-old girl was airlifted to a Toronto hospital with serious injuries.
A deceased person was located inside the home following the fire.
Friends say the man killed was Chris Johnson, though that has not been confirmed by police.
Matthew Madsen says he hasn't heard from his friend since Tuesday, and it was his rented farmouse that was levelled and his children that were injured.
He says Johnson was his best friend and "He was a great dad, excellent father, loved to hang out with his kids and it's a tragedy what happened."
Police are expected to officially release the identity after a post mortem examination scheduled for Friday in London.
The cause of the fire and the death are still under investigation.
The destruction following a farmhouse fire near Owen Sound, Ont. earlier in the week is seen on Thursday, July 10, 2014. (Scott Miller / CTV London)
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UPPSC (Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission) invites online application for the post of Asistant Manager (Non Technical).
Pay Scale: Rs.9300-34800, Grade Pay-4200/-.
Age Limit: 21 to 40 Years (Relaxation in age as per Rules).
08 Posts are reserved for O.B.C. candidates of U.P.
06 posts are reserved for the S.C. candidates of U.P.
Horizontal Reservation- 04 Posts are reserved for Women of U.P. 02 Post are reserved for Ex-Service Man.
Essencial Qualification: Adegree From a University established by law in India (Graduate level) or a degree recognized by the government. as equivalent there to.
(ii) Obtained a "B" certificate of National Cadet Corps, shall other things being equal, be given preference in the matter of direct recruitment.
Important Note: Please follow the respective website for full notification.
You can download NOTIFICATION of this recruitment for full detail in PDF Format from UPPSC website http://uppsc.up.nic.in in ALL NOTIFICATION ADVERTISEMENT DETAIL link.
You Can Apply For This Post Online on NOTIFICATIN link on this Website.


Caboche Lamps are composed of spheres of transparent polymethylmethacrylate in a concentric layout. This multiplies the brightness of the central light source. A screen in white satinized blown glass guarantees maximum diffusion of light yet prevents glare. A solid base is provided by the original design of the stem.
Origional deisnged by Patricia Urquiola.
Disclaimer: The item is reproduction of the original.


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GreekReporter.comGreeceHoly Tuesday; What Do We Celebrate?
Holy Tuesday; What Do We Celebrate?
In the Greek Orthodox Church, Holy Tuesday is dedicated to the holy gospel referring to Christ's denunciation against the religious leaders of Israel, the Secretaries and the Pharisees, but it also commemorates the Parable of the Ten Virgins and the Parable of Talents.
At first the Gospel of Matthew about the condemnation of the Pharisees is read during Tuesday's Matins service.
Then, the Parable of the Ten Virgins is one of the well-known parables of Jesus. According to the Gospel of Matthew, the five virgins who are prepared for the bridegroom's arrival are rewarded, while the five who are not prepared are disowned. The parable has a clear eschatological meaning, to be prepared for the Day of Judgment.
Furthermore, the Parable of the Talents which appears in the Gospel of Matthew is also commemorated on Holy Tuesday. It tells the story of a master who entrusted his property to his servants. According to the abilities of each man, one servant received five talents, the second servant received two talents, and the third servant received one talent. Upon returning home the master asks his three servants for an accounting of the talents he entrusted to them. The first and the second servants explain that they each put their talents to work, and have doubled the value of the property with which they were entrusted; each servant was rewarded, the third servant, however, had merely hidden his talent and was punished by his master.
The parable of the talents has been seen as an exhortation to Greek Orthodox people, to use their God-given gifts in the service of God. Everyone must cultivate and showcase their talents and offer their services lovingly to their fellows. Only then will they be ready to welcome the love of Christ in their hearts.
Greek-Orthodox
Plato's Magic Ring Allegory and the Lord of the Rings
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A hands-on introduction to the world of sake.
A beginner level introduction to Sake for those starting a career in the beverage industry or just an interest to learn more about Sake.
This qualification offers a hands-on introduction to the world of sake. You'll explore the main styles and types of sake through sight, smell and taste to develop an understanding of the key factors affecting flavors and aromas. Upon successful completion of a short exam you will receive a WSET certificate & pin.
A qualification for professionals or sake enthusiasts.
For individuals seeking to develop a more in-depth expertise in sake, this qualification will provide you with a detailed understanding of the production methods that affect the style, quality and price of sake. Upon completion you will be able to assess sakes accurately, and use this information and your understanding of sakes to make authoritative recommendations. Upon successful completion of the exam you will receive a WSET certificate and lapel pin, and will be able to use the associated WSET certified logo.
The WSET Level 3 in Sake examination is in two parts: a blind tasting of 2 sakes and a written theory examination. Both parts require a pass grade in order to be awarded the Level 3 Award in Sake. The examination duration is 2 hours and 15 minutes.
The Level 3 Sake course includes a complete study pack with an exclusive textbook and study workbook.
WSET Sake courses through Grape Experience provide a unique look at this increasingly popular beverage. Learn the diverse styles of sake and how it can match with any type of food. Learn the mystery of sake, how its made and what makes it so intriguing.


Comic actor Gene Wilder, a film icon known for starring roles in modern classics such as Young Frankenstein and Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, has died. A nephew said Monday that Wilder died of complications from Alzheimer's disease. He was 83. Wilder became a star playing quirky, often neurotic characters in three films directed by Mel Brooks — The Producers, Young Frankenstein, and Western spoof Blazing Saddles. He also teamed up with Richard Pryor in the hit Stir Crazy. Wilder wrote, directed, and starred in several films — including The Woman in Red, which co-starred his wife, Gilda Radner. She died of ovarian cancer in 1989.


Every couple's journey to make the decision to get married or their individual history and family dynamics is unique. And this is why Rabbi Arthur believes that each wedding should be created with care and attention and in partnership with the couple. This is Rabbi Arthur spends time meeting with the couple, listen to their dreams and challenges, and then help them fashion a wedding that reflects their vision. Rabbi Arthur has his famous 10 questions that are answered individually and then discussed with the Rabbi. From these questions, there is a renewed sense of why they wish to get married within the beauty and meaning of the Jewish tradition. Like the bar/bat mitzvah, anyone who has ever attended a wedding within the Community Shul's format has truly felt the spiritual nature of this covenant of marriage.


An array of desserts in Paris and New York? It's the stuff dreams are made of. For Amy Thomas, the dream came true when she moved to Paris to write ad copy for Louis Vuitton. Her memoir, Paris, My Sweet, is a starry-eyed tour of the City of Light's best pâtisseries, juxtaposed with the American-style treats of her beloved New York. It's "a bonbon of a book," said USA Today, one woman's heartfelt homage to two iconic cities and all the sugared surprises life can offer.
When I first moved to Paris, I was all but ignorant to the charms of the French macaron. I wasn't even one of those people who exclaimed, "Ohhh, I thought you meant those little coconut things!" Macarons just weren't on my radar. Not in my consideration set. And since I wasn't really aware of them, they weren't able to seduce me.
But, for better or worse, that all changed when a colleague shared his macaron mania with me. In an effort to introduce me to French culture as much as the delicious French delicacies, he presented me with a beautiful box one day: chic and sturdy, covered in a bold illustration, I knew this was something special. I was instinctively captivated, especially when he dramatically removed the lid to reveal the contents. There inside were tidy rows of Technicolor double-decker treats, pretty and petite, feminine and elegant. I was mesmerized—practically hypnotized and immobilized—until he prodded me to sample one.
I wonder if everyone has their "macaron story." The first time they bit into a proper French macaron… do you? I just remember the crunch: feeling that light-as-air shell break and then give way to a delightfully tender, almost wet texture. Then came the ganache: an uber-rich, creamy-chocolaty filling that held the two meringue cookies together. And suddenly, it was a symphony. Crisp but chewy, ethereally light yet laden with flavor, the textures and tastes converged flawlessly. I had chosen Pierre Hermé's Mogador (for my colleague fell firmly on the Hermé side of the great debate of who makes the best macarons: Pierre Hermé or Ladurée), and no two flavors had ever complemented each other better than the rich chocolate and tart passion fruit.
Needless to say, that wasn't my last experience with the macaron. Once I was properly schooled (not only by my colleague, who proved to be eternally generous and devoted to my douceur education, but through classes at La Cuisine Paris, and my own diligent explorations and samplings), I could never resist a macaron. Or 47.
That's right. 47 macarons in one day. It was 2010 and, inspired as I was by my new affection for the iconic French treats, I decided to celebrate Macaron Day, which was created by Pierre Hermé. At the time, he had six boutiques in the city and you could go to any one of them to receive three free macarons. But if you went to all six, and got a card stamped to prove it, you were rewarded with a box of 35 macarons.
I started at the rue Bonaparte boutique as I expected that would be the busiest throughout the day. Sure enough, at the ripe hour of 10:15, there was already a line down the block. But I dutifully waited and kicked off the day with my three free choices: milk chocolate and earl grey, vanilla, and raspberry and wasabi. From there, I went to rue Vaugirard (pistachio, caramel, and the lovely mélange of peach, apricot and saffron), followed by avenue Paul Doumer (chocolate, white truffle and hazelnut, and apricot and pistachio). At Publicis Drugstore, I actually declined my three free macs. The sweet mania was too much, even for me. After stopping for some savory fortifications, I hit rue Cambon (lemon and hazelnut praliné, raspberry and balsamic vinegar, and the much-acclaimed olive oil and vanilla) and finally ended my tour of duty at the Galeries Lafayette, where I was rewarded with my own pretty, illustrated box of beautiful macarons.
Two years later, I'm still enamored. And now that I'm back in New York, it's almost as if macarons are following me; haunting me. Ladurée arrived on the Upper East Side last August, making it possible to sink my teeth into a lovely little lemon macaron at l'heure gouter. I've also discovered local bakeries with outstanding macarons that—in flavors like maple bacon and peanut butter and jelly—have been adapted for American tastes. And, bien sur, Macaron Day will be celebrated across the city this Tuesday, with more than a dozen bakeries and tea salons offering free macarons. It's hard to imagine there was ever a time that macarons weren't in my life and my heart.
Curious about the Jour du Macaron? Find more information about events in Paris and New York, and check out Paris by Mouth's very useful guide to participating pastry shops.
To learn more about Amy, visit her blog, God I Love Paris. And, while you're at it, why not pick up a copy of her charming book, Paris, My Sweet?
Rhino75: Am currently working my way through Signe Johansen's Scandilicious, Dan Lepard's baking bible, Short and Sweet, and Glynn Christian's How to Cook Without Recipes – which has some interesting stuff on flavour trails, etc.
Me: I love hearing from Brits, because their cookbook suggestions are so fresh and different! These three books are a perfect example. I'm fascinated by Scandilicious, which is written by a young Norwegian cook and has exotic (to me) recipes like Bergen fish chowder, or cardamom cake. I'm always drooling over Rhino75's tweets about the soda bread or farmhouse loaf he's whipped up from Dan Lepard. And as I become more experienced in the kitchen, I'm also becoming braver. Glynn Christian's book sounds like an excellent way to hone my improvisational skills. PS. Check out Rhino75's new baking blog, Bear with a Wooden Spoon, with gorgeous photos of his latest creations!
Brassfrog: I can't live without 660 Curries: The gateway To Indian Cooking by Raghavan Iyer. This is a veritable encyclopedia of spices, methods and recipes. Want cabbage and peas? There are three different recipes. The same with cauliflower. Lots of tips, hints and tricks. Spice blends and spice suppliers.
Camille: Miss Masala is a constant favorite.
Voie de Vie: I recently picked up 50 Classic Curries by Manisha Kanani (I really want to make great curry!).
Me: I've been an Indian cooking addict ever since I discovered Miss Masala by Mallika Basu (she also has a terrific blog). I can't wait to experiment more, especially with 660 Curries, which I recently bought for my dad based on Brassfrog's suggestion. Thanks!
Sherry: In my dreams, I'm working my way through the Essential Cuisines of Mexico by Diana Kennedy, which was a wedding gift, and makes me hungry whenever I see it on my shelf.
Jeanne: The cookbooks I return to the most are Chez Panisse by Paul Bertolli and Alice Waters and The Cuisines of Mexico by Diana Kennedy.
Me: I just discovered that The Essential Cuisines of Mexico is a compilation of three Diana Kennedy books: The Cuisines of Mexico, The Tortilla Book, and Mexican Regional Cooking. With over 300 recipes, it sounds like the volume for Mexican cuisine. I would love to cook from this book! I am curious, however, if the ingredients are too specialized and/or hard to find?
Camille: Super Natural Every Day is a real winner. I just bought two more vegetarian cookbooks for my brother (Mollie Katzen's Vegetable Heaven and Plenty by Ottolenghi).
Jeanne: On my to buy list is Plenty by Ottolenghi as Camille mentioned. I saw it last weekend in Anthropologie and it is beautifully illustrated.
Terry: My most recent discovery is Jane Grigson's Vegetable Book. It is a reference book really, but with great recipes too.
Me: I love vegetarian cooking, especially for weeknights. Super Natural Every Day sounds like it has great, new ideas for using whole grains and different vegetables (I would love to try her chanterelle tacos). I have to confess that I'm not a fan of Plenty. It's beautiful, but I found the recipes inaccessible and fussy. I'd love to hear your experiences with it. I love the idea of Jane Grigson's book, which offers romantic vegetable lore and recipes. Sounds right up my alley!
Katia: My absolute favourite cookbook is The Cook's Companion by the quintessentially Australian chef Stephanie Alexander – it starts with a wonderful section with the basics (like pizza dough and stock), then is broken down into sections by main ingredient and by alphabetical order – starting with "abalone", "apples" and "artichokes and cardoons" to "yabbies and marron", "yoghurt" and "zucchini and squash". There are recipes for everything from classics (like lemon tart or chicken noodle soup or fig and rum chocolate truffles) to modern Australian recipes (tajine with quince, or pasta with wild fennel and sardines).
Voie de Vie: My two favorites (of the half dozen cookbooks on the shelf): Joy of Cooking and Patricia Wells's Bistro Cooking.
Lindsey: Everyday Italian by Giada De Laurentiis. It's not old, it's not particularly original, but I've made some amazing meals from it so it's become my trust Italian bible!
Camille: Everything I've made from David Lebovitz's Ready for Dessert has gotten rave reviews.
Me: I love hearing about your tried-and-true cookbooks, the ones you know will never let you down. I can't wait to explore your favorites, especially Everyday Italian, which I know my husband will appreciate as an Italian food fan(atic). I've been looking for a companion to Lydia's Italian American Kitchen (another great book).
Ann in SF: I have a book titled The New Joys of Jell-O, copyright 1973. A classic with chapter titles like Centerpiece Desserts, Salads That Help Make the Meat, and Things You Never Thought Of. I guess it's just another form of aspic, Lots of groovy pictures too.
Lindsey: I love Rachel Khoo's Pâtes à Tartiner which is really easy to follow. Also, who doesn't want to make their own Nutella?
Anne: The one I made using Tastebook that compiles recipes from a group of friends with whom I cooked once a month in Paris.
Me: I love your more unusual suggestions, too! What holiday is complete without a jello salad mold? Homemade Nutella from Pâtes à Tartiner sounds divine, especially since the bottled variety is full of evil palm oil. And, as a prodigious recipe collector, I'm checking out Tastebook tout de suite.
Thank you for sharing your favorite cookbooks, mes amis! I had so much fun discovering them.
I love, love, love cookbooks. I love new cookbooks, which present fresh ideas, techniques and flavor combinations. I love old cookbooks, which are like time capsules, a window into the domestic lives of another era. Browsing a used bookshop in Beaune last week, I couldn't resist the two charming volumes above.
And then, I got to thinking — what are your current favorite cookbooks, mes amis? What are you cooking from right now? What recipes do you return to again and again? What books do you hope to purchase or receive as gifts? I'd love to hear your latest finds!
Bonjour, mes amis! I'm so excited today to share a glimpse of an enchanting confection of a new book, PastryParis by Susan Hochbaum. It's perfect for those who love Paris and pâtisserie (that is, tout le monde).
As the book's subtitle says, "in Paris everything looks like dessert." Author and graphic designer Susan Hochbaum has cleverly juxtaposed the city's sweetest treats with its iconic architecture, landmarks, and urban and artistic details. From gas caps to the dome of Sacre Coeur, nothing has escaped her sugared lens.
But the book isn't merely empty calories! In the back is a pastry guide, providing les bonnes adresses (+ telephone numbers and métros) for all the models pictured.
Isn't Paris sweet, mes amis? What's your favorite pâtisserie? I love éclairs au chocolat and financiers.
Susan will speaking in Paris at WH Smith on October 20, and signing copies of her delightful book. For more details, or to learn about other signings in the New York City area, visit her website.


Our Summer Give matched fundraising campaign has been our most successful ever. The £1m raised will fund 47 charities to support the needs of over 15,000 London children this summer, helping to alleviate the impact of child poverty with a diverse range of activities including, camping, cooking, sports of all kinds, sailing, climbing, drama, circus skills, music, writing and just having fun.
To learn more about the stark summer holiday experiences of children living in poverty in London please read our new report below or watch this feature by CH4 News that covered our research.
The results of our survey point to a childhood in crisis for those living in poverty. While their better off peers enjoy time off from school spending time on holidays with family, engaging in enriching activities, travel and play, children from disadvantaged families face hunger, violence, sexual abuse, and exploitation or worse by gangs or older children similarly disadvantaged. Such adversity undoes the valiant efforts of schools to break down the barriers of child poverty by setting children back educationally by up to a whole term. In the light of this fact alone, the cuts to youth services are a false economy and a tragedy for the life chances and well being of the capitals poorest children. Children are facing a summer holiday from hell unless they can access free or very low cost local support and activities. That support is more than likely to come from the services of a charity rather than a Local Authority funded project.
This entry was posted in Featured, In the News, Newsletter and tagged Summer Give 2018 by Laurence Guinness. Bookmark this permalink.


text:
President Lorene Oikawa's Message – May 2017
The sakura (Japanese cherry blossoms) started to appear last month. They seemed to be a bit late like much of our Spring weather. Our harsh winter weather is starting to float from our memories just like the cherry blossom petals that filled our skies and then covered our streets.
I hope you were able to enjoy some time outdoors, perhaps with your family and friends at Hanami. Hanami is a traditional Japanese flower viewing party adopted by many cities around the world. It is said to have started in the Nara period (710-794 AD) with ume (plum blossoms) and then by the Heian period (794-1185) it was associated with sakura. Today, many parties are held during the day and night with lots of eating, drinking, and playing and listening to music. The cherry blossoms don't last long so enjoy them when you can. Good advice for flower viewing and for cherishing your loved ones.
My family experienced deep sadness with the loss of our mother. It was very long nights with visits to the hospital, and getting up early for work, and squeezing in volunteer work and errands. My thoughts are with many of you who are juggling the care of your elderly relatives, your family, and other responsibilities. It also saddens me to think of the elderly who do not have family to assist them, and it is even more critical for the government to take leadership and provide the resources for seniors.
Also, there are other individuals, families, students, workers, those who are unemployed, with disabilities, and in poverty who need a government who will consider their needs as priority. We have a responsibility to choose a government by voting. The provincial election is on May 9th, and you don't have to wait until Election Day to vote. Find out more on the Elections BC website at http://elections.bc.ca/ Please vote and take the rest of your family too.
Every vote is important, and if you think it doesn't make a difference, just look south to our neighbours when many chose to stay home for their presidential election. Japanese Canadians were not allowed to vote for years. Even those who bravely fought for Canada at Vimy Ridge were denied franchise, and were uprooted, dispossessed, and incarcerated 75 years ago. Who we elect makes decisions on laws that affect us all.
In 1900 Tomekichi Homma challenged the provincial law banning Japanese Canadians from voting. The trial judge and Supreme Court agreed with Homma. However, the BC government appealed the decision to the Privy Council who upheld the law. In 1936, the Japanese Canadian Citizens League sent S.I. Hayakawa, M. Kobayashi, H. Hyodo and Dr. E.C. Banno to Ottawa to plead for the right to vote. Independent MP A.W. Neill (Comox-Alberni) and Liberal MP Thomas Reid (New Westminster) were anti-Asian zealots who used literature from the White Canada Association to stir up anti-Asian hostilities. In the year before, both the Liberals and Conservatives won votes in the federal election by smearing the CCF (precursor to the NDP) as a pro-Asian political party. The Canadian parliament did not support the Japanese Canadians' right to vote. It wasn't until 1949 when Japanese Canadians won franchise. This was four years after the end of the Second World War.
So, if for no other reason than to honour our ancestors, please vote.
To learn more about the history of our ancestors, please attend two upcoming events.
GVJCCA Walking Tour, Reflections on Japanese Canadian Life & Work in the Powell Street District, on May 13th. Join me and Grace Eiko Thomson, curator of Levelling the Playing Field, the popular Vancouver Asahi Baseball Team exhibit, who will share some fascinating insights into what life was like in the Powell Street District 75 years ago. Grace will also share some personal stories about growing up in the area. We will meet near Chapel Arts at the corner of Dunlevy and East Cordova in Vancouver at 10 a.m. The walk will take approximately 90 minutes. For more information, please check our website at gvjcca.org or email gvjcca@gmail.com or phone 604.777.5222.
GVJCCA Discover the Stories of Japanese Canadians in Surrey and learn how to share your family stories using poetry with Surrey Poet Laureate Renée Sarojini Saklikar on May 20th at Surrey City Centre Library, 10350 University Dr, Surrey, from 1 to 4 p.m. For more information, please check our website at gvjcca.org or email gvjcca@gmail.com or phone 604.777.5222
Keep an eye on The Bulletin and our website for other events this year commemorating the 75th anniversary of the uprooting, dispossession, and incarceration of Japanese Canadians, and the 65th anniversary of the GVJCCA.
Another anniversary this year is the 50th Annual BC Nisei Bonspiel which took place at the Richmond Curling Club. It was my honour and pleasure to attend the bonspiel as the Vice President of the NAJC (National Association of Japanese Canadians) and the President of the GVJCCA. Thank you to Bonspiel Chairperson Roy Murao and all the volunteers and participants. There were over 350 attending from across BC, Canada, and one team from the USA and Japan. It was a great event with wonderful people, and delicious food.


Being a landlord is a lot of work, but it also offers some of the most readily available rental property tax deductions compared to any other investment opportunity. If you like collecting a rent check every month, you are going to love the tax deductions available to you as an Indianapolis rental property owner.
As the leader in property management, Real Property Management Indianapolis Metro has put together a list of rental property tax deductions that are not so obvious and are often overlooked by landlords. Taking these deductions could be the difference between you turning a profit on the rental property and losing money.
This is one area that Indianapolis property managers need to be careful in, as the IRS classifies repairs and improvements as different categories, capital expenses and operating expenses. Repairs are defined as anything that keeps the property in good working order-such as replacing a broken window or fixing a leaky faucet. However, if you instead choose to replace all windows with double-pane or energy efficient glass, this is an improvement that will extend the life of the property over the years. While the costs of repairs are deductible, the costs associated with improvements must instead be depreciated.