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text:
Economy, Trade & Aid
In Sizzling Pakistan, One Community Overcomes Electricity Woes
By Abubakar Siddique
Niaz Ahmad Khan
Picturesque Kalam has abundant fresh water resources.
KALAM, Pakistan -- Severe power cuts during the holy month of Ramadan, when most of Pakistan's estimated 200 million Muslims refrain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk, have prompted violent protests in the scorching temperatures of summer.
But an alpine community in the country's Hindu Kush Mountains has harnessed stream and river waters to provide an abundant and uninterrupted electricity supply to its residents.
An estimated 30,000 residents of Kalam now enjoy uninterrupted electricity thanks to small hydropower stations bankrolled by the European Union and built by a local NGO, the Sarhad Rural Support Program (SRSP). The two small hydropower stations supply some 45,000 households and 400 hotels and businesses in the Swat Valley resort town.
Each summer, tens of thousands of tourists flock to Kalam and other resort towns in northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. Regular electricity supply now promises a bright future for Kalam.
Abrar Ahmed, a local hotelier, was spending between $50 and $100 each day just to fuel his generators. "We now expect to save hundreds of thousands of rupees (thousands of dollars) in power costs every month," he told Radio Mashaal.
Kalam's tiny bazaar, where locals buy groceries and tourists hunt for handicrafts, now stays open late into the night. The locally produced electricity is cheap and costs only few dollars a month for most households.
Hassan, a grocer who goes by one name only, says Kalam was cut off from the national electricity grid after a massive flood washed away electric poles in 2010.
"We are benefiting tremendously from this round-the-clock electricity," he told Radio Mashaal. "Our bazaar is back to its former glory, and locals can now even visit the hospital at night."
Tourists, too, are happy. Zain Ahmad, a visitor from the eastern city of Lahore, was eager to enjoy Kalam's cool evenings. "I am excited to see Kalam Bazaar getting unhindered power supply," he told Pakistan's daily Dawn. "My family happily comes out of our hotel in the night to enjoy the cool breeze outside amid lighting everywhere."
While Kalam has rejoiced over its uninterrupted power, however, engineered blackouts prompted protests elsewhere in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on May 29.
station in Kalam.
Pakistani media reported that at least one person died in Dargai, a town near Swat Valley, when protesters clashed with law enforcement officials after ransacking the local offices of the Water and Power Development Authority, a government utility provider.
Zahidullah Khan, an official supervising small hydroelectric powerhouses in Kalam, says the 1,600 kilowatts produced by the Jungle Inn (400 kilowatts) and Ashuran (1,200 kilowatts) power stations far exceed the region's demand of 700 kilowatts.
"We are ready to provide this power to other regions," Khan told Radio Mashaal.
SRSP official Musa Khan says the project provides an ideal model for partnership between public and private organizations. Such an approach is considered key to alleviating Pakistan's crippling electricity shortages.
In recent years, SRSP has built more than 250 hydroelectric stations in Swat, the surrounding areas of Malakand and other mountainous regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. More than half a million Pakistanis benefit from these stations.
According to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa authorities, small dams in Swat and other regions can produce nearly 500 megawatts of hydroelectricity, while large dams in the province and the adjacent Federally Administered Tribal Areas can produce several thousand megawatts of electricity.
Most regions in Pakistan now face at least eight hours of engineered blackouts. Locally called "load shedding," these power cuts are prompted by a shortfall of estimated 6,000 megawatts on the national grid.
With national elections looming, the issue is expected to figure prominently in the 2018 parliamentary polls. In 2013, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif won the election after promising Pakistanis he would end or substantially reduce power cuts by the next election.
"We will keep on protesting in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa every day," Fazal-e Ilahi a local politician in the provincial capital, told Pakistan private Geo TV.
Radio Mashaal correspondent Niaz Ahmad Khan contributed reporting from Kalam in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Swat Valley.
Abubakar Siddique
Abubakar Siddique, the editor of RFE/RL's Gandhara website, is a journalist specializing in coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan. He is the author of The Pashtun Question: The Unresolved Key To The Future Of Pakistan And Afghanistan.
SiddiqueA@rferl.org
Niaz Ahmad Khan is a correspondent for RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal in Swat, Pakistan.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Squats can be bad for your knees, especially, if you are a bodybuilder or a powerlifter. In sports, knee problems are high, but squatting isn't the primary culprit. Among bodybuilders, squatting is the major cause of their knee problems. In this review, we are introducing Knee Straps for squats from Mava Sports which can be used by both men and women powerlifters and bodybuilders.
Commonly worn by competitive powerlifters and bodybuilders, knee wraps/straps are made of the same elastic material that is typically found in wrist wraps. They are designed to be wrapped around the knee in a spiral or diagonal method for use in squats.
This Knee Wrap will provide a perfect solution to personal fitness trainers, professional body builders, Cross Training WODs, Gym Workouts, Weightlifting, and Fitness & Powerlifters for many common knee problems. Mava Sports Knee Straps offer a perfect wrapping solution to be worn during squats to prevent any knee problems.
This review will cover all the aspects associated with the product, including all the facts and figures, so that you as consumers do not face any difficulty in drawing a conclusion as to whether this product is worth the money you spend or not.
Before you proceed with the review, we feel it's prudent to mention that the virtual world has a lot of scope for fraudulent attempts. Make sure that you are not walking into a trap. Verify every site and every product before investing your money in it. Failure to do so would lead to the wastage of a lot of time and money.
Mava Sports bring you the best knee wraps on the market. The new Mava knee support straps were made to solve all your past frustrations on knees and keep you comfortable.
The Mava Sports Wraps are highly valued by powerlifters because it allows more weight to be lifted in the squat. How? During the eccentric (downwards) phase of the squat, the tightness of the wraps allows for a high amount of elastic energy to be stored, which can subsequently be released during the concentric (upwards) phase—resulting in heavier and faster squats.
Furthermore, Mava knee wraps reduce stress and pulling forces on the quadriceps tendon, which is attached to the quadriceps and the patella (the kneecap). When you squat, the tendon pulls on the patella. Reducing the stress on the tendon helps to avoid detaching your tendon from the patella, or tearing your quads altogether, which are both pretty nasty injuries. When you consider the monster weights that competitive powerlifters move in the squat, it makes sense why powerlifters choose to squat with knee wraps.
Mava Sports Knee Wraps (Pair) is ideal for Cross Training WODs, Gym Workouts, Weightlifting, and Fitness & Powerlifting.
Mava Knee Straps for Squats can be used by both Men & Women. It offers compression and gives your knee a comfortable elastic support.
Compression: The stretchable high performance elastic fabric is easily adjustable according to different compression needs.
Extra Support: This 72 inch wrap can be used as knee brace, knee sleeve, knee band, knee defender all these because of the easy to use material, design and the hook and loop system.
Superior Comfort: These knee compression support wraps won't slip, unroll or fall off, so you don't have to worry. The stronger material used in this warps provide the best support for heavy squats, cross training, leg presses and high intensity lifting.
Mava Sports Wraps are Knee Wraps specially made for men and women who want a more efficient knee support, comfort and safety.
Refund Policy: Yes, Mava Sports products come with 30-day money back guarantee. If you don't like the knee straps for any reason.
Secure mode of payment: Yes, a reliable and safe mode of payment via Amazon is offered.
While knee wraps do allow you to move more weight, they don't necessarily help you get any stronger. This is because they are restrictive in nature, and because they completely cover the patella and are worn tightly (thus pushing the kneecap into the thigh bone).
They can increase the friction between the patella and the cartilage of the kneecap. As you might expect, this can lead to injury and troublesome knee joint problems like arthritis.


text:
Baltimore City County
3920 Colchester Rd
-- Beds, 1 Baths, 884 sqft
3920 Colchester Rd is a single family residence located in Baltimore, MD 21229. Built in 1949, this property features 1 bathroom, 1,360 sq ft lot, and 884 sq ft of living space. The estimated market value for 3920 Colchester Rd is $123,000.
For the surrounding community of Baltimore, MD 21229, the average sale price for similar homes to 3920 Colchester Rd is $108,643. The nearby schools are below average and include Violetville Elementary Middle, Edmondson Westside High and Digital Harbor High School. The overall crime risk for this area is very high with 10 criminal and sex offenders residing within 1 mile. The natural disaster risk for this area includes very low earthquake risk, high tornado risk, and minimal flood risk.
Property Details: 3920 Colchester Rd
Parcel Number: 7653B011
Heating Type: RADIANT
Cooling Type: YES
ALUMINUM Garage
BuiltUp (Layered Asphalt) Roof
Basement Sq Ft: 221
5/27/2003 Sold $66,000 $75 Public Records
12/22/2000 Sold $45,000 $51 Public Records
2012 $2,486 (+2.37%) $0 $0 $104,467
3918 Colchester Rd, Baltimore, MD 21229
2 loans found for this home view hide sample
The average sales price of homes similar to 3920 Colchester Rd is $108,643 ($111/sq.ft.)
1210 Haverhill Rd $72,000 12/27/2019 $73 992 sq.ft. -- Bed, 1 Bath 0.5 mi away
3500 Clarenell Rd $115,000 12/27/2019 $112 1,024 sq.ft. -- Bed, 1 Bath 0.5 mi away
312 N Hilton St $32,450 12/26/2019 $32 1,014 sq.ft. -- Bed, 1 Bath 1.8 mi away
4505 Manorview Rd $143,000 12/20/2019 $140 1,024 sq.ft. -- Bed, 1 Bath 1.4 mi away
4414 Hillside Ave $315,000 12/19/2019 $360 876 sq.ft. -- Bed, 1 Bath 0.5 mi away
330 N Grantley St $60,000 12/18/2019 $71 840 sq.ft. -- Bed, 1 Bath 1.7 mi away
4521 Pen Lucy Rd $155,000 12/18/2019 $151 1,024 sq.ft. -- Bed, 1 Bath 1.4 mi away
504 Queensgate Rd $62,000 12/16/2019 $69 896 sq.ft. -- Bed, 1 Bath 0.9 mi away
7 N Abington Ave $26,000 12/16/2019 $25 1,056 sq.ft. -- Bed, 1 Bath 1.5 mi away
3380 Saint Benedict St $80,000 12/16/2019 $76 1,054 sq.ft. -- Bed, 2 Bath 0.7 mi away
4125 Mountwood Rd
31 S Morley St
3704 Old Frederi...
4701 Williston St
The home located at 3920 Colchester Rd is in Baltimore City County, Maryland. With a lot that is 1,360 square feet and interior space of 884 square feet, 3920 Colchester Rd, Baltimore, MD 21229 is a 1.0-bath structure in the 21229 zip code.
During the month of 12/2019, a total of 39 properties had foreclosure filings in the 21229 zip code surrounding 3920 Colchester Rd, with one in every 523 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing. In Baltimore City County, where 3920 Colchester Rd, Baltimore, MD 21229 is located, there were 307 properties with foreclosure filings documented during the month of 12/2019, a foreclosure rate of one in every 960 housing units. In Maryland, one in every 1,584 housing units had a foreclosure filing in 12/2019, while one in every 2,541 housing units had a foreclosure filing nationwide.


saving energy, saving the planet!
Would you like to save thousands of pounds per year in energy? By installing solar panels or other renewable energy technology in your home or commercial building, you can generate your own energy and save a significant amount of money.
Green energy technology such as solar panels, wind turbines and micro-hydro is at its most affordable level in history. It's now more affordable to generate your own renewable energy than to use electricity from the national grid.
We specialise in helping UK homes and businesses start using renewable energy to reduce carbon emissions and save thousands of pounds per year that would usually be spent on fossil fuel energy.
We also offer energy efficiency services and can help your home or building reduce its energy consumption through the use of energy efficient LED lighting, insulation, daylighting and other systems.
Our team has assisted hundreds of homeowners and businesses across the UK and generated measurable savings. We can help your home or business make the switch to renewable energy today.
Read our detailed guides to renewable energy and energy efficiency or contact us to learn more about how your business can get started with renewable energy.
Solar energy is the most popular form of renewable energy. Across the world, solar photovoltaic panels are widely used by homeowners and businesses to create clean, renewable electricity with a minimal impact on the environment.
Thanks to economies of scale and programmes such as the Feed-in Tariff, it's never been more affordable to install solar panels on your home or commercial building and start generating your own electricity.
Our detailed guides to solar energy provide the information you need to choose a solar panel installation for your home or commercial building. We also provide in-depth information on the financial and environmental benefits of solar power.
Solar panels aren't the only way to generate your own green energy. Technologies such as micro-hydro and wind turbines let homeowners and businesses generate clean, green energy at an extremely low cost.
Like solar energy, forms of renewable energy such as wind and micro-hydro are eligible for the Feed-in Tariff, making them an affordable way to generate energy that powers your home or place of business.
Our detailed guides to renewable energy technologies give you the information you need to switch to wind, hydro, biomass and other renewable energy systems.
Did you know that artificial lighting accounts for approximately 25% of the average home's energy costs? Switching to LED lighting can significantly reduce your energy consumption, resulting in lower bills and a greener, healthier environment.
LED lighting offers a range of benefits over fluorescent or traditional incandescent light bulbs. Not only are LED lights cheaper to operate – they're linked to improved workplace productivity and have several mental and physical health advantages.
Our detailed guides to LED lighting provide the information your need to make your home or commercial building's lighting system cleaner, healthier and more energy efficient.
Did you know that you can reduce your energy bills by as much as 30 per cent using simple energy efficiency techniques and investments? From daylighting to efficient use of heating, energy efficiency can significant reduce your energy costs.
In fact, energy saving techniques, training and investments can have an internal rate of return of up to 20%, making energy efficiency an important priority not only for homeowners, but also for businesses.
Our detailed guides to energy efficiency provide the information you need to switch from artificial lighting to daylighting, improve your home or building's heating and reduce heat loss through efficient insulation.
Government programmes such as the Feed-in Tariff and Renewable Heat Incentive make switching to renewable energy and heat a sensible financial decision for UK homes and businesses.
With the Feed-in Tariff scheme, you can earn money by generating and exporting renewable electricity. The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), a similar scheme for clean heat generation, provides a tariff for green heating technology.
Both of these schemes can significantly lower the cost of switching to green energy and heat. Over time, many homes and businesses that use green technology earn a significant profit on their investment through the programmes.
Our guides to the Feed-in Tariff and Renewable Heat Incentive provide detailed and actionable information for homeowners and businesses on the benefits offered by the schemes, eligibility and the current tariff rates.
Are you interested in using green energy technology? We're dedicated to helping UK homeowners and businesses switch from using fossil fuels to generating renewable energy from solar, wind, micro-hydro and other technologies.
Our experienced team can provide the information you need to purchase and install your own solar panel system, wind turbine or other green energy technology. We're here to make the process of switching to green energy as simple as possible.
Contact us to learn more about the best renewable energy solutions for your home or commercial building.


text:
Vice Chancellor Felicia McGinty says she did not shut down Alley
Nikhilesh De
Sep 22, 2016, 10:22 PM
Photo by Brayden Donnelly
Rutgers Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Felicia McGinty says she did not make the decision to shut down The Alley, a University-sponsored tailgate located on Busch campus during game days.
Rutgers Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Felicia McGinty said on Thursday that she had no part in the decision to shut down The Alley.
The Alley was a University-sponsored student tailgate located across from the Werblin Recreation Center. Rutgers Athletics announced that it was shut down on Tuesday after two home games due to "safety concerns."
"The Alley was an initiative that was sponsored by Athletics," she said. "It's not a Student Affairs function so it's not my decision."
The University-sanctioned tailgating event was a "great" idea, but it grew much more quickly than was expected, she told The Daily Targum. The Athletics department had some concerns that needed to be looked at, she said.
McGinty confirmed that she did discuss some of the issues present at the Alley prior to its shutdown, but declined to comment on what those concerns were.
Athletic Director Pat Hobbs announced via social media on Wednesday that the Athletics Department would work with the Department of Public Safety to modify The Alley, either bringing back a safer version of it or finding an alternative site for the event.
An anonymous source told The Daily Targum that the decision to shut it down came after the University refused to work with the event's planners.
While she confirmed it was not her decision, McGinty could not say who did order the event to be shut down.
A change.org petition calling for a boycott of home games until The Alley was reinstated has more than 2,000 signatures as of Thursday afternoon.
A group of students are planning to protest outside of the Student Affairs office on Friday morning.
"I'm the administrator who talks to students ... and I'm happy to talk to them but it's not my decision," McGinty said.
This is a developing story.
Jean Baum announced as Vice Provost of Life Sciences Research and Partnerships
Jan 20 - Brian Delk
Murphy supports legislation for more financial transparency at state's public universities
Jan 20 - Uriel Isaacs
Cover All Kids campaign to expand health care to children across state, regardless of immigration status
Jan 19 - Claire Bruno
NJ Transit expands monthly pass discount to part-time students


Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit Wednesday selected San Rafael Mayor Gary Phillips to chair its board of directors, a nod to the emphasis the commuter rail agency will place this year on finishing a key expansion that will extend service to Larkspur.
Rohnert Park Councilman Jake Mackenzie, the outgoing chairman of the region's Metropolitan Transportation Committee and a 15-year member of the SMART board, was elected vice-chairman.
Phillips, 73, who has served on the SMART board for seven years, said his top priority for 2019 is overseeing the connection to Larkspur through his neighboring city. The extension, which is scheduled to be completed by year's end, includes changes to existing roadway crossings and transitioning the line from a single to a double track to the future southern terminus.
He also hopes to help the Golden Gate Bridge District redevelop San Rafael's transit center, near where SMART passengers presently end their train trip and transfer to local buses, Greyhounds and airport shuttles.
Mackenzie, 79, said SMART needs to maintain the success it has achieved during its first 16 months of operations. The rail agency expects, for example, to serve its 1 millionth rider sometime this week, and its goal in the coming months is to increase ridership by addressing gaps in service, improving commuter transfers and working with the Golden Gate Bridge District to smooth out ferry connections from Larkspur to San Francisco. It is also building a new downtown station in Novato, set to be completed by the end of the year.
Once that and the $55.4 million extension to Larkspur are finished, SMART can turn its expansion efforts north to complete the planned 70-mile line, extending service to Windsor, Healdsburg and finally Cloverdale. That poses its own set of obstacles, however.
A lawsuit surrounding the voter-approved toll hikes across Bay Area bridges could hold up $40 million in toll revenues designated for the $55 million extension to Windsor and an additional $30 million allocated to rebuild the San Rafael transit center.
Both projects could be delayed, depending on when and how the legal matter is resolved.
Wednesday's SMART meeting — the board's first of the new year — also functioned as the final one for longtime board member Jim Eddie, a Golden Gate Bridge District appointee. In departing, he joins former Cloverdale Councilwoman Carol Russell in vacating seats that will need to be filled to return to 12 members.
In fact, Mackenzie's SMART board term is also up, and clinching his new vice-chairman position will require reappointment through his role on the Sonoma County Transportation Authority. He will compete with four other candidates for two openings, including Cloverdale Councilwoman Melanie Bagby, Healdsburg Councilman Joe Naujokas, Petaluma Councilwoman Kathy Miller and Santa Rosa Vice Mayor Chris Rogers, with a decision coming Jan. 31.
SMART's chair and vice-chair positions traditionally rotate between Sonoma and Marin County tenures. The leadership positions usually serve two-year terms, though Phillips indicated he will re-evaluate at the end of 2019 and may only serve for one year.
He replaces Windsor Councilwoman Deb Fudge, who shared a fist bump with outgoing vice-chairwoman Judy Arnold, a Marin County supervisor, to commemorate two years in their respective leadership positions. Both have two years remaining on their four-year board appointments.
The SMART board's next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 6.


Beach living at its finest, this sand section townhome has spectacular ocean views overlooking Malibu and terrific walkability to the beach and downtown North MB. Enjoy an exceptional floor plan with all 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths and a separate laundry room on the entry level and a top floor that is light and bright with an open concept feel. The kitchen boasts cherry wood cabinets throughout, granite countertops, stainless steel kitchen appliances, 2 built-in wine fridges, an expansive breakfast bar along with an immense central island that opens to the formal dining area. Adjacent living room is a flexible space with a floor-to-ceiling fireplace, powder room, and double french doors that lead to a sunny southwest facing ocean view deck. The master suite features a double door walk-in closet, spacious balcony with ocean views and dual fireplace that opens onto the master bath spa tub, separate walk-in shower, and dual sinks with stone countertops. Additional amenities include Brazilian walnut hardwood floors, decorative iron trim work, ceiling fans, recessed lighting, custom window treatments, plumbing for central AC, outdoor shower, 2-car garage parking with storage room, and extra long driveway to accommodate additional parking. Easy access to beach, shops, restaurants, award-winning schools, and LAX. Truly spectacular, this very special home is your opportunity to enjoy the Southern California coastal lifestyle at its best!


text:
Beaches, Temples and Sex—Will Burmese Tourism Follow the Thai Model?
By DAVID PAQUETTE / THE IRRAWADDY Friday, March 23, 2012
Western visitors to the Thai resort of Pattaya negotiate with local sex workers. (PHOTO: Kay Chernush)
Burma took in fewer foreign visitors last year than every other nation in Southeast and East Asia with the exception of North Korea. However, a new dawn of political reform in the Golden Land has alerted travelers to the prospect of visiting this indisputably beautiful and hospitable country.
Hailed by everyone in the Western press from CNN to Lonely Planet to Travel & Leisure magazine as one of the world's "in" places to visit in 2012, Burma finds its tourism industry ready to increase exponentially in the next three years if its sadly inadequate infrastructure can possibly match the demand.
Ohn Myint, Rangoon's deputy director of the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, said, "We have estimates that in 2012, we can receive 500,000 tourists through Yangon International Airport. In 2015, we will expect over 1 million tourist arrivals to Myanmar."
But with only 25,000 hotel rooms in the entire country (of which only 8,000 are suitable for tourists), and inadequate airports and transportation options, it is no surprise that the Burmese authorities are looking to neighboring Thailand—which regularly receives around 15 million visitors per year—as a model to learn from.
Burma's tourism officials say they are taking advice from the Tourism Authority of Thailand on improving the country's service sector while exploring further areas of mutual understanding on a "Two Countries, one Destination" campaign. Arrivals to Burma are mostly dependent on Bangkok's international airport, and will be for some time to come, said Ohn Myint.
Burma and Thailand are similar in size and population. Both are predominantly Buddhist, but with diverse ethnic minorities in the highlands. And both countries boast stunning historical sites, lush mountain retreats and hundreds of the palm-fringed paradise beaches that Western tourists would give an arm and a leg for.
But while Burma's beaches are mostly inaccessible and have no resorts or amenities, Thailand's white-sand beaches and aquamarine waters are teeming with tourists from all around the world. Jet-skis rub shoulders with millionaires' yachts in Phuket's marina, and the selection of shops, bars, night venues and entertainment is endless.
Further north in Burma's Andaman Islands, most locals still work as fishermen. Rather than running restaurants, or offering hair-braiding or massages to foreigners on the beach, local women spend their days gutting fish and weaving bamboo baskets.
Of course, it is this unspoilt natural setting that globetrotters yearn for. Now that Burma has all but assured itself of a tourism demand, NGOs and tour agents are calling on the Burmese government to ensure that the country embarks on a project of responsible and sustainable tourism, protecting local ecosystems and taking precautions against repeating the mistakes of its eastern neighbor.
"Phuket has had its day!" said blogger Ramon to an online thread that discussed the murder of an elderly British couple on the island. "Mafia, murder, muggings, rip-offs. It's all turned nasty."
The same could easily be said for Thailand's other top two beach resorts, Koh Samui and the notorious sex haven of Pattaya.
With an estimated two million sex workers throughout the country, Thailand is the world's sex tourism capital, and nowhere is that flaunted more than in Pattaya, just 70 km down the coast from Bangkok.
Many worry that an uncontrolled policy of tourism in Burma will inevitably lead to more prostitution and, before long, the arrival of thousands of sex tourists.
"The lessons to learn are pretty straightforward," said Andrea Valentin of NGO Tourism Transparency. "If Burma wants to have more prostitutes than monks in the country, then they should follow Thailand's tourism development approach. Hopefully, Burma will want to avoid Cambodia's 30,000 children involved in sex tourism, some of who are as young as five. In 2009, Terre des Hommes estimated that more than 70,000 children across Asia are being used by sex tourists, mainly in Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. In Cambodia, a sex tourist can rent two 8-year-old children for three days and pay not more than $30. Most of these children are born into poverty.
"In a conservative country like Burma, where sexual activity is seen as a very private matter, the sad truth is that it won't be too difficult to develop a thriving sex tourism industry," she said. "Sex tourism brings in foreign currency and generates revenues, and local communities are reluctant to act or intervene in this taboo, making women and children far more vulnerable to sexual exploitation."
Maung Maung Swe, who currently sits as both the chairman of the Union of Myanmar Travel Association and the vice-chairman of the Myanmar Tourism Board, rejects the notion.
Andrew Hunter,
Sure you are doing some sterling work for those who are very vulnerable, who lack representation and whose rights must be acknowledged and honored.
Andrea's concern and The Irrawaddy's piece are both however timely and relevant. The point is to stop the burgeoning sex trade by sound economic measures where tourism is of paramount importance in this regard and a good education/vocational training on the part of the policy makers.
Yes indeed. You hit it on the nail, thanks.
Yes Wrote:
@ snoopy: do you really think all (outdated) GREEN google snapshots represent virgin forest. i don't think so, unfortunately not.
@ CTH: "Women has a right to do what they want" -> do you have any idea how many women are being exploited against their will? woman who were promised a "proper" job (eg. selling °°quote°° "garment and shoes"), ending up like sex-slaves.
note too that many girls doing sexwork, are forced by their family, in order to bring in money. no such thing as 'FREE WILL'.
@ andrew: this article might fail to mention current existing sex industry, this very website has written numerous times about it. also, every Burma visiter who opens his/her eyes observing *daily life* (instead of watching temples) knows about it. just like in thailand, the problem is: buddhist societies cannot openly/maturely face the BAD/NASTY/NEGATIVE things of life. or it doesn't exist (head in the ground), or you laugh about it.
Sai Wrote:
Many women choose fast and easy money. It happens everywhere, even in America. In Mandalay and in Rangoon, any kind of women from various ethnic groups are have been available in hotels. You may not like it but they are available anytime. Day or night. 24/7.
Ko cho Wrote:
Ko Cho;BA,Q(History)Dip in Hotelmanagement,
Ass Degree in HospatilatyManagement.(USA)
Burma Hospitality industry is no need sex.
We have tourist attraction is Pagan and
Myrouk U,Shwedagon pagoda.Also We have a lot of crystal beach.
I'm sure women does not want to be prostitutes unless they are hungry and poor to feed their family, the solution is to give them a good education and also create jobs for them like inviting foreign investments for Garment, Shoe and other industries where women are employed most, and NOT BARS AND MASSAGE PARLOURS.
Women has a right to do what they want, it's
their body but they should not be controlled by PIMPS. Prostitution is there since the days of Christ and Buddha. Every country has it, some like Thailand and Singapore are open, others like Malaysia,Indonesia, Viet Nam and China are not, but it is there.
Andrew Hunter Wrote:
Andrea, I'm the coordinator of the Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers. Done my research and know the numbers. I don't believe the Cambodian Government have released the figures you cite. Maybe you should do some research and check David Fiengolds research on actual numbers of trafficking victims in Cambodia. Nice big numbers like that produce nice big budgets for anti trafficking groups.
What this article fails to look at, as do most of the commentariat is that there is a large sex industry in Burma. There are also thousands of Burmese women who have migrated to Thailand to work, support their families and escape conflict. Protecting the rights of current sex workers and looking out for the rights of Burmese sex workers who,want to return home would be more useful for a magazine like the Irrawaddy than a tabloid like speculation piece about possible "sex tourism"
aung kyuu Wrote:
I am scared of pushing Burma's tourism industry towards sex trade business. Although it is still under control thanks to a series of Western countries led sanctions. But how long? Thailand and Cambodia are also Buddhism dominated culture and have similar life style and tradition. Frankly Burmese girls are not much different than their counterparts from neighboring countries such that they can be prone to the victim of sex and drug driven by greed and by force out of high demand from sex tourists. I hope the local rights and civil groups are well aware of the situation and the government is able to take lesson from the mishaps of the tourism industry of the neighboring countries.
junii Wrote:
What a lot of comments this topic has generated. And that in is the sad truth. Sex sells. Thailand chose it route and it seems that Burma has already chosen hers. If you think it is not yet corrupted with a prolific sex trade, then you are surely misguided. Since the early years of 2000, karaokes and night clubs have promoted prostitution. Take a look at the shows that are now put on in the country. It sometimes shames me to see how low our society has become.The influx of foreigners, NGOs and tourists alike, have further degraded the society. I am a proud Burmese and I hate it that the country has become this way, mostly due to the mismanagement and corruption of the local authorities.Economic sanctions also forced young girls and boys to turn to prostitution after losing jobs in factories. I am happy that things seem to be looking up now in terms of transparency BUT is this the price we have to pay for progress?
Snoopy Wrote:
Hi YES,just google-map and you will see that Myanmar and Laos are still green, while neighbouring countries are depleted of forests. Establish national park and forest reserve, plant more tees all over the country. That's all we have to do to protect the remaining flora and fauna.
@ ZW: please wake up. true, you don't have the equivalent of Pattaya but there's plenty of sexworkers, KTV-bars and street prostitution in your country (and enough articles on this very website reporting about it), at the moment mainly catering to Burmse men.
no offense intended but your reaction is an example of yet another MAJOR issue in burma: the naivity of the people. a great characteristic if one lives in utopia, but not ideal in the real world, and certainly not in burma.
again: potentially, burma is a dream for every sexpat paedophile, all-round pervert: tons of uneducated, ultra-poor people, tons of corruption and (let's not forget) tons of "Untermenschen" - who aren't considered Burmese - with no rights whatsoever, and who can be treated like sh*t without having to fear any punishment.
ZW Wrote:
We have not sex city in our country,because our custom and culture was shameful for these in it.
In s'pore they have sex town inside their country,mean Gayland.Thailand was most sex develop country of our neighborhood country.
We weren't paste for it.We need to protect for our woman and ladies for sex business. We don't want to earn money from sex industry.
(continuation)... nah, burma is a farce, and as long as the country isn't able to handle its internal issues (which it isn't at present, not at all!), kick out for good the (ex-)military scum and their collaborators, claim back the billions of $$$$ stolen by always the same clan of people, etc., it shouldn't make tourism a priority.
the only priority is justice to the people. the burmese people, including all non-bamars and non-buddhists too, have been robbed and raped for too many decades.
virgin forests? you mean the pathetic leftovers which will be gone in 5 years. note too that the tourists burma is looking for are big spenders visiting the classic 4 destinations (which are reachable without risking a lumbago) and not "eco-boyscouts".
beaches? the only proper beaches accessable to tourists are the ones in southern rakhine state and western delta (bay of bengal). nice area but the real gems are the beaches in tanintharyi region (andaman sea), which are virtually impossible to visit (i was there after loads of hassle) and getting destroyed too. (To be continued).
Maung Ba Wrote:
Here's my opinion for whatever it counts. It's an age old problem and facts are simple. If a country opens up, it attracts people based on what it has to offer. If it has brothels and bars to offer, it will attract predators and idiots. Think about how some developing countries are not that kind of destination in spite of their status. So Burmese people will have to use their freedom wisely and decide what it wants to offer to the world, then build the system around it (with laws, campaigns, and people's attitude). Different products attract different customer. Simple, yet hard to execute.
The Truth is that money does not buy happiness. Myanmar and Laos may be 'poorer' than neighbouring countries, but we are happier than those who live in glass-houses. We had better preserve our ecosystem,cultural and spiritual values, such as love and respect of one another. Never sacrifice these good values in exchange for capitalism.
Andrea Valentin Wrote:
@Andrew Hunter - don't shoot the messenger! In 2006, the Cambodian government stated there are more than 30,000 children involved in sex tourism in Cambodia. The situation is still very problematic. There are many articles and reports about this, just do your research.
Chris Jericho Wrote:
Ok..ok.. Tourist dollars are welcomed, but pervs are not? How about imposing a law that requires every man who comes to burma with tourist visa go through mandatory self-impotency treatment when they land at mingalardon airport..... (pun intended)
@ snoopy - my dear, Eco-tourism or tourism of any sort cannot co-exist with virgin forests. Preserving ancient or natural relics by promoting tourism is a sham. Tourism may be a smokeless industry, but it is not carbon-less industry. The very presence of human can tip the ecological balance of virgin forests for worse.
Road Runner Wrote:
Dear David, just drove to Bangkok from Pattaya about an hour before reading this article, its actually double the 70kms you say it is,
This is what happen when citizen do not have good education, they start walking on the street like that.
Delmore Wrote:
No, Burma will not follow Thailand.
Thy are very different cultures and the kind of scene depicted would just not go down well over here.
With Thailand just next door, why would it need to?
An increase in prostitution is AN economic inevitability-but it wont become like Thailand-not in the foreseeable future anyway.
Burma is so ultra-corrupt, and many people so ultra-poor, that nobody can stop what is indeed going to happen: the same as in Thailand and Cambodia, or probably even worse. I'm pretty sure the Wa's have already a businessplan ready. One good thing for now: your average sex-tourists doesn't wanna pay much money for hotel rooms, being used to bargain thai and cambodian prices, and everything below 15USD in burma is utterly budget/grim, which will keep them out for a while.
sad_to_see_it Wrote:
Hate to tell you that those Thai and Chinese business men are already procuring prostitutes in Yangon Hotels. They are used to it in their own countries.
You can go to a bar or disco in Yangon and pick the working girls in minutes. The police are paid off and do not enforce the law there.
What is needed is enforcement of rules to stop Myanmar woman going to hotel rooms as guests at night.
This is enforced in lots of hotels in other parts of the country.
30 years ago there were no prostitutes on Koh Samui but how it has changed.
In Myanmar the Myanmar army are the biggest procurers of prostitutes. So if the Police are also paid off what hope have you got? Before too long this is going to grow past anyones control.
JustinBomber Wrote:
Prostitution as the one of the oldest profession in human history and neighboring a country like Thailand indeed Myanmar must try very hard not to fall into this darkness. Poverty and poor education systems had already taken toll in Myanmar creating a quite alarming level of sex workers in it's capacity.
Every major places in Yangon is occupied by large Restaurants (they named it) openly selling beers and all sorts to customers at any age level (including teenagers) of course with live entertainment ( so called female models and singers dancing along with rubbish background music. Where this all going to end up is needless to mention.
Authorities must manage tourism business a responsible and sustainable one or no doubt what Myanmar will see in the near future is not the real development but jeopardy.
Sai Williams Wrote:
Careless promotion of more tourism and investment will bring more mental, physical and environmental problems, loss of ownership and unity.
Look around. Are the suicides, rapes, family conflicts, and other social problems are due to drug and alcohol as the media and authorities usually report? How much of the misery life have been unreported? Outdated taboos create probability that some problem sources will not be found, understood and solved.
Also aware of increasing unbalance in the flow of love, respect, trust and opportunities among the human – another serious source of world's conflicts.
What Burma need to do now are helping each other, study your own country, its different peoples, land and environment; improve mental and physical health and strength; self sufficiency, skills and knowledge building. You need to stand on your own, to own what you do and your environment.
Let the tourism come naturally but slowly. Peoples need to be strong & knowledgeable enough to properly exchange with the outside world.
Burmese business world with connection with the military is controlled by ethnic Chinese people. The morality of Chinese businessmen is that of a crow.
They will have hundreds of apartments for 8 year old, 9 year old, 10 year old, etc in no time.
But that itself will not be the cause of the downfall of pristine, beautiful, gracious Burma which seems pretty inevitable, and soon.
The downfall will be because, the majority Burmese do not believe tn 5 Precepts any more, let alone observe them and they do not care for each others as evident in Kachin situation and are simply subsumed by greed as seen by the desire to be like Singapore at all cost.
bruce Wrote:
I will miss the Burma I experienced in 2006 and 07. For sure it will follow in the path of Cambodia and Thailand.But, CAPITALISM needs new customers to survive!
shwe moe Wrote:
This is my concern, our young men and women will now turn into prostitutes and our cities into brothels like our next door neighbor; our temples and monasteries into pick-up joints; the Jeanie is out and the jury is out.
komyolaymdy Wrote:
We have different history with Thailand. Some different in culture. We don't like sex tourism. Which Asian country like Thailand's tourism way? We, Myanmar people don't need like this money.
Concerned Wrote:
You have to do more than showcasing pagodas. Control booze, drugs and prostitutes if the govt and the people don't want Burma to become like Thailand or other sourth east nations. Don't give into demands of unscrupulous tourists for bars and discos.By the way the claim by the minister that "Myanmar people don't tend to drink too much" is not true. Alcohol is freely available, even to youngsters.
Those who feel Myanmar lacks the night life etc etc should stay away.People who come to Burma should come to see its unspoilt landscaptes and traditions. Once they are ruined and gone, Burma will become just another raped exploited nation, with no awe and mystic aura left to facinate!
It would be an absolute travesty for Burma to have its innate dignity corrupted by greed (and any more social degradation than has been foisted on them) before it gets education, proper safe infrastructures and health care.
Enough is enough. The people have a say.
Maung Ko Derek Wrote:
Harsh penalties for pedophilia.
Thailand depends too much on alcohol fuelled entertainment. Myanmar can develop a cafe society especially in Yangon. Tea shops are quite quaint for now. Reflect on Italian piazza's. Take influence from the best European cities.
Develop Chaungtha along the lines of Monte Carlo. The road from Yangon needs to be a priority. The journey could be 3 hrs.
Decriminalise Cannabis. Coffee shops full of tourists smoking strange smelling cheroots than violent streets full of drunken louts. Link to factory outlets in Bandung. Tourists will willIngly spend a couple of thousand dollars on suitcases full of Gucci.
Ensure Paris Hilton signs the deal to open her Paris Hilton Beach Resort in Ngwe Saung and there is no irony in her opening a second in Ngapoli.
Subaru needs roads into China and Outback, XV are ideal for the roads. 555 State express sponsored Subaru long before Star Trek. I recently watched a Skyline drifting in Bagan. Imagine what Paris Hilton could do in a BRZ.
sparks Wrote:
All very well decrying the western discos and nightlife etc but the western tourists still demand and want western comforts and foods etc
even the backpack crowd enjoy the thai nightlife when they want to kick back and relax.
there is a balance needed of tradition and progress. Burma needs to take the best of whats thailand does for tourists and avoid its many pitfalls like whats been mentioned re Phuket with its taxi mafia etc.
with western tourists will come some sex tourism- it is unavoidable and lets face it - it does go on in rangoon now.
as long as the overtness of pattaya is avoided and a balance is reached it shouldnt impact too much on the cultural side of things that Burma strives for
Mualcin Wrote:
The rule of law is what Democracy is all about. Prostitution in Burma? As long as it is regulated, let be it. Women are selling their bodies everywhere in Burma and the pimps are soldiers and policemen. If women sell their bodies, let them benefit. Prostitution is the oldest form of business. It is not a new thing at all. You cannot stop it. Ne Win made it worse and Than Shwe made it worst. Burma has never been better off than Thailand.
Myanmar is a land of spirituality and natural beauty. We should promote eco-tourism to preserve our virgin forests. We don't need sex tourism. We just need a good and clean government that loves the protects its people from unnecessary greed and lust. Irrawaddy, please educate our people through the media.
Pieter Wrote:
Tourist Authority Thailand (TAT) has for years spouted mantras about "Cultural Tourism", "Eco-Tourism", "Hi-Value 5 Star/Spa Tourism"....but the reality is easy visas & cheap charter flights for a million single Islamic male sex tourists a year from the Gulf States and Iran, cheap lo-end package tours for a million mainland Chinese per year, almost a million package low-budget tourists from India a year and hundreds of thousands of girls, ladyboys and rentboys providing "service" to the incoming lo-end hordes (that is, when they are not busy providing "service" to their regular customers from Thailand).
Heaven forbid. We have enough massage parlors and karaoke bars already in Yangon. Why would we want to create a decadent 'nightlife' just to attract tourists? We are better off attracting the right sort and not the riffraff or paedophiles like Gary Glitter. 'Warmly welcome'(in quaint Burmese English) to those Thais and Chinese who stick to the 'Three Gems' and actual gems.
Andrea Valentin's timely warning must be heeded notwithstanding Maung Maung Swe's very sanguine attitude coming from, let's face it, a vested interest group which granted is more welcome to most Burmese.
Burma is in danger of getting the worst of both worlds if we are not careful and vigilant over how private enterprise tends to develop. No society is completely immune to such cultural and more importantly financial corruption. This issue is bound to pit traditionalists against modernizers and will prove to be a difficult balancing act. BEWARE.
MawShe Wrote:
Myanmar should not be Thailand. We should not copy those red districts in Thailand. Any kind of sex industry should be strictly regulated and taken actions. We should not let our children become sex slaves. People should be taught to make a living by morally rightful and dignified ways of lives.
Ya Da Yu Mae Wrote:
Majority of people in Burma are struggling to get themselves out of poverty. Many will need model labor skills with booming investments in the future. Most of young girls who are born in poverty circle has very little labor skills to work on those new labor markets in the future. For sure many will become apart of entertainment partners for tourism. Materials are a big temptation for many young girls....! Don't know if Burmese Buddhism will be able to influence those young girls' morality once I-phone, I-pad etc...are on the Burmese market in the near future...! " Morality and real life survival are in conflict of interest at this stage"
It would have been worth asking where Andrea Valentin gets her ludicrous figures from. Cambodia has less than 30,000 sex workers in the whole country so, no there are 30000 children involved in sex tourism. Complete and utter rubbish.....
One should be very careful if NGO's speak out. NGO's have created a enormous business around the sex-workers. They are probably more harmful than the traffickers itself. Let's not forget that 70% of childporn is produced within the USA and around 10% in Europe. I assume that the climate in Burma and Thailand is better than back home. It is more attractive to live here than back home.
I really hope U Maung Maung Swe will prove me wrong. I really really hope so.


text:
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(PR) Bridgewater, NJ – The Somerset Patriots have announced the signing of left-handed pitcher Brandon Sisk.
Sisk enters his first season with the Somerset Patriots and first in the Atlantic League with seven years of minor league experience, including five seasons in the Kansas City Royals organization. There, he reached as high as Triple-A Omaha in 2011 and 2012.
The southpaw went a combined 7-4 with a 2.17 ERA, 10 saves and 103 strikeouts over 99.1 inning pitched in his two seasons in Omaha. In 2012, Sisk led Omaha in games pitched (50), all in relief.
Sisk reached the Triple-A level again in 2014 with the Salt Lake Bees in the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim organization.
Last year, the Palestine, Texas native appeared in 35 games for the New Jersey Jackals of the Can-Am League, going 5-1 with a 2.14 ERA and 60 strikeouts over 46.1 innings pitched.
Sisk owns a career 25-22 minor league record with a 2.84 ERA, 44 saves and 468 strikeouts over 414.2 innings of work.
Posted in Uncategorized on February 3, 2016 by Mike Ashmore.


text:
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Stephen Kimber > Freelance > Halifax Examiner > Name? Un-name? How…
(The Coast)
Last Wednesday in Morning File, Tim Bousquet went on a rant. "Stop it," he wrote. "Stop naming shit after people who are still alive."
The specific object of Tim's ire that morning was not immediately apparent among the story's cascading collection of photos of local edifices named after the alive and hopefully well (not to mention rich… did we mention rich?) like the Kenneth C. Rowe Building and the Ralph M. Medjuck Building, or after profitable corporations looking for cheap advertising. The Halifax Metro Centre, Tim noted, had served as a serviceable name of our downtown rink for more than a generation, but had recently been "rebranded with the name of the god damn bank," whose corporate name shall not be spoken here either.
Said actual object of Tim's ire wasn't even mentioned until paragraph 10, photo 4, when Tim revealed that, the day before, the Nova Scotia Community College's "perfectly descriptive" Waterfront Campus had been renamed… the "Ray Ivany campus."
Ray the living…
"Unseemly," said Tim.
I don't totally disagree — or agree. Back in the 1990s, Ray Ivany was largely responsible for transforming our formerly ignored or under-valued auto-mechanic/hairdressing vocational schools into a dynamic, thriving and respected community college system that has claimed its rightful place in Nova Scotia's post-secondary educational pantheon. If anything is to be named after him — and that's a big if — why not a community college campus?
The problem, of course, is that there's more to Ray Ivany than his community college accomplishment. As there is with the rest of us. There's his hectoring, polarizing neoliberal report on Nova Scotia's future that may or may not have anything to say about our actual future as Nova Scotians; there's his university president's salary; there's his secret side deals with the province to rescue Acadia University from financial ruin while other universities suffered; there's his wife's job; there's…
Tim's larger point was that we should stop naming stuff after those who breathe. He cited, in his Tim-fashion, the city's own former naming policy: "someone had to be six feet under for a couple of years before you could name a rec centre or police substation or cul-de-sac after them, and even then you had to first dig them up and put a wooden stake through their dead heart just to make sure (that was Section 8, subsection iv(b) of the policy)." You can look it up.
But then a combination of mushy sentimentality and corporate hubris (abetted by changing corporate and income tax policies that have starved public institutions while giving even more breaks to wealthy individuals and companies so they can "donate" money they mostly write off in order to have public buildings named after themselves) created our new naming reality.
"Now," wrote Tim, "we're naming shit all over the place after people who one day we might learn were child molesters or Confederate generals or whatever." With the obvious caveat that we/they probably already knew the Confederate general was one before anyone named stuff after him — indeed, that was undoubtedly why they honoured him in the first place — I take Tim's point. And agree with it.
But let's take it a step further. Let's not only stop naming stuff after living human beings, but also dead ones too.
People, living or dead, inevitably disappoint.
We live in polarizing times in which balance and nuance have fled the field of discourse, and consensus on almost anything seems impossible. So let's just name future buildings for their street addresses or their functions (Computer Science Building, Law School, Police Station, etc.), and identify streets by what could at least be a useful navigational grid (1st Street West, 10th Avenue North). As someone who has lived most of his life on streets named after trees, I suggest we solve future controversies by celebrating trees, plants, animals, even inanimate objects rather than waste time parsing the pluses and the minuses of the histories of actual people, living or dead.
I have come to this view reluctantly. I was among those who argued publicly, if not entirely successfully, for the province to permanently designate our new Winter Holiday (a functional name if there ever was one) "Viola Desmond Day" in honour of the African Nova Scotia woman who once refused to sit in the blacks-only section of a New Glasgow movie theatre.
I was delighted when the Bank of Canada announced last year Desmond would be the first woman to be featured on the front of a bank note, and when the city named a harbour ferry in her honour.
I take joy whenever I wander through Camp Hill Cemetery and see the official sign that now points to Desmond's simple, previously unadorned, uncelebrated grave marker.
My own championing of Desmond as a woman worthy of honour, however, was based almost entirely on her single and singular act of courage in standing up for her rights that night. While I knew she did not win the appeal against her conviction on a trumped up charge of tax evasion — for failing to pay the one-cent difference in tax on the price of her ticket in the whites-only section — I also knew that fight led to the establishment of the Nova Scotia Association for the Advancement of Coloured People, which helped spawn the civil rights movement in the province. Worthy.
Beyond that, I have a mostly Wikipedia understanding of her real life, abetted by her sister's book-length tribute, Sister to Courage.
I don't know what she was really like in her other life as a businesswoman, as a wife, a church person, a person who — life the rest of us — was the sum of many parts.
The question, of course, is how might those now less important aspects of her significant public-life-well-lived be remembered, or perhaps re-interpreted, one hundred years from now?
No wonder Donald Smith, an historian at the University of Calgary, says we need to be careful about who we honour today — and why. "Past actions must be examined with the care and understanding we hope our actions — on the environment, for example — will be looked at half a century from now."
More to my own point, Isadore Day, Chief of the Serpent River First Nation and Ontario Regional Chief, suggested in the same CBC think piece about recent naming controversies that it's time we abandon naming things for people at all. "Perhaps we shouldn't be elevating people to that stature."
And then leaving it to our descendants to climb down from that too-tall stature ladder generations later.
It is hard to imagine those who named Halifax's Cornwallis Junior High School back in 1948 to honour our city's European soldier-founder, for example, gave even a passing consideration to the fact Cornwallis put a bounty on the heads of Mi'kmaq people in the 1700s. But that reality became the reasonable rationale for changing its name to the more generic, and appropriate, Central Junior High School in 2012.
That decision, of course, has touched off a broader local debate that is still raging over how best — or even whether — to remember the European who first settled our city.
It's an interesting and important debate — one that is mirrored in ongoing, never-ending whack-a-mole controversies as people attempt to come to terms with the past everywhere these days. Confederate generals, university founders, Canadian prime ministers…
But it also raises a question, not so much about why blacks or Indigenous peoples might object to our in-their-faces celebration of their oppressors, but why those of us who are neither black nor aboriginal waste so much oxygen and energy on these debates.
Consider last week's motion by the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario demanding school districts there "examine and rename" schools and buildings named after our first prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, "in recognition of his central role as the architect of genocide against Indigenous Peoples."
"Macdonald makes the perfect scapegoat," responded Richard Gwyn, the venerable Ottawa journalist and author of a seminal biography, Sir John A. Macdonald: His Life, Our Times, who has studied Macdonald's accomplishments, as well as his failings. "The man's long dead; and while alive, really was corrupt and a drunk. This liberates us to transfer to him responsibility for the deep sense of guilt we feel about the treatment of First Nations, past and present."
"… and present."
I do sometimes wonder if we fixate on these symbols of the past because it's easier than fixing the everyday present for which we have to accept our own responsibility: ongoing racial profiling of blacks and natives, the abysmal mess we've made of dealing with First Nations peoples, etc., etc.
Perhaps if we gave up naming things after people, we could get on the important business at hand. Perhaps…
Copyright 2017 Stephen Kimber, Website
Halifax Examiner