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Tag Archives: novel
July 3, 2019 Creative, Culture, FIlm, Lifestyle, News, VideosAngela Davis, Bluest Eye, Felipe Patterson, Fran Lebowitz, Hilton Als, Howard University, literature, Margaret Garner, Muhammad Ali, novel, Oprah, Paula Giddins, Sonia Sanchez, Sulah, Timothy Greenfield Sanders, Toni morrison, Walter MosleyDapper Dr Feel
Photo: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders/ Magnolia Pictures
Toni Morrison and Me
I was a freshman in college when I realized that Toni Morrison was a not only a big deal but an important part of literature. It wasn't that it was my first time being exposed to her, it was the fact that I was at a private, predominantly white school (Denison University) taking a freshman English class named after her that focused on her work. After taking the class, I gained a deeper respect for the author because I had finally been exposed to her world that far surpassed the two books, "Song of Solomon" and "Sula," I read in high school.
The film, Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am, made me feel as if I was previously foreign to Toni Morrison and her contributions to the African American community. Director Timothy Greenfield-Sanders did an amazing job of putting this introspective and commentary piece together about one of the greatest influences in literature. I got to know Toni Morrison as a writer, teacher, mother, award winner, and overall incredible human being. The documentary explores the early years of her life where her grandparents encouraged her and other children in her family to get as much education as they could. Her grandparents were alive during a time where it was forbidden for Black people to receive an education. This was the foundation that would inspire one of the world's greatest writers.
To understand her affinity at an early age gives the audience an understanding of how Morrison became such a distinguished storyteller. At one point she described how she loved books so much that when she worked in a library, she spent more time reading the books than doing the work. They naturally promoted her to a managerial role.
Howard University & Random House
The Pieces I Am traveled through Morrison's college roots as she attended the infamous Howard University where, like most graduates, she discovered the true value of being Black and educated. She felt free in her natural habitat amongst other intellectuals and creatives that shared a love for education. After her time at Howard, the film discusses her start at Random House as an editor. This was where the start of her literary career began.
There are so many key moments in this documentary that it's not hard to see how Toni Morrison became a Pulitzer winner and why many influential figures in Black history have looked up or desired to work with her. In fact, it's noted how both Muhammad Ali (The Greatest: My Own Story) and Angela Davis (Angela Davis: An Autobiography) had a huge amount of respect for her, allowing her to write their autobiographies.
Morrison set a standard in the writing industry early on with her works "The Black Book", "Sula" and "The Bluest Eye." The film noted how Toni Morrison's novels transcended race yet encouraged people of color to embrace their melanin and not be afraid or ashamed of the skin they were born in. In fact, "The Black Book" has been described as an emotional exploration of Blackness.
While watching the film, I wondered why we had to wait until now to receive a Toni Morrison documentary. After all, she had some of her biggest moments in the 90s and previous years but the film also addresses that Toni Morrison is a very private person. When I spoke with director Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, he explained how there were a few moments while filming Toni Morrison that they all had to hold their breath because what she was saying was so powerful and captivating. It was hard for him to do cuts during editing because of all the great footage from her interview.
Talents and activists that were featured via interview included Angela Davis, Hilton Als, Fran Lebowitz, Walter Mosley, Sonia Sanchez, Farah Griffin, and Oprah Winfrey. They all praised the innate skills, inspiration, and hard work of Morrison. One of the most interesting stories came from Oprah Winfrey when she mentioned how she called the fire station in the neighborhood where Morrison stayed to get in contact with her to do the movie Beloved. The excitement in the voices and faces of the interviewees show the importance of Toni Morrison, especially Sonia Sachez who had emotional final words at the conclusion of her interview.
During Morrison's interviews, she explained how she developed some of her books. The way she describes her influences for her work are interesting and visually beautiful, much like her storytelling. Speaking on Beloved, a novel that originated from the Margaret Garner story, Morrison recalled her being out one day looking at the docks when she saw a woman in a hat by the river who suddenly disappeared. This is what sparked the beginning of the amazing Beloved novel that made Oprah a huge admirer.
Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am is not only recommended, it is necessary. To quote Paula Giddins from the film "If you don't understand the history of African American women, you don't understand America." The documentary released in theatres on June 28th, 2019.
Photos: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders/ Magnolia Pictures
Tuskegee Heirs: Flames of Destiny
January 18, 2016 Art & Design, Culture, Newsaviators, Black legends, Broken Glass, Col. Mars, comic, Earth's last line of defense, Flames of Destiny, futuristic sci-fi adventure, Grandpa's Shoes, Greg Burnham, Hero Cats, Kickstarter, Marcus Williams, novel, Super Natural, Tuskegee Heirs, WWII War HeroesTaji Mag
Tuskegee Heirs, a futuristic sci-fi adventure from the minds of illustrator Marcus Williams (Hero Cats, Super Natural and D.M.C) and children's book author Greg Burnham (Broken Glass and Grandpa's Shoes), follows a small squad of young gifted aviators who are forced to become earth's last line of defense against a menacing race of artificially intelligent villains bent on destroying civilization. Marcus and Greg look to pay homage to the historic Tuskegee Airmen, while bringing forth a new set of character rich young heroes. With a graphic novel set to release mid 2016, Marcus and Greg intend to push this project towards animation. Following in the Japanese animation genre's age old practice of dropping unusually talented youths inside the cockpits of enormously powerful machines, the amazing pilots of this series will be no exception.
Tuskegee Heirs, Earth's last line of defense…
The Tuskegee Heirs will be set 80 years in the future where a world sculpted by rapid progressing technology will come to ban human pilots from operating aircraft and go as far as to criminalize the act of even training pilots. Our young pilots, however, have found a secret training facility and refuge in the historical airfield once used by the fabled WWII War Heroes, the Tuskegee Airmen. Under the careful guidance of Col. Mars, a long retired veteran pilot, the team of young hopefuls are trained and educated about the strong ethics that made the classic airmen the formidable unit that they were. Not long into their training, a mysterious military force composed of highly advanced self-aware war machines fixated on destroying civilization as they know it, declares war on all societies. Suddenly the teens are thrust into the middle of a war for humanities' right to exist. They will have to use their training as pilots, knowledge of history, and unique skill sets to defeat this fearsome enemy.
We appreciate the historical focus of Black legends being beautifully developed in a creative and educational environment. Currently in it's Kickstarter phase, the series has already blown through it's pledged goal of $10K and 2 stretch goals of $15K and $25K in just 4 days. Their other goals include development of Tuskegee Heirs T-Shirt line for Men, Women and Children, a family geared board game and sweet mobile game app, a full figurine lineup of all the Tuskegee Heirs Characters including the Jet and Mech, and a prototype toy of one of the characters and jets. Be apart of history in the making by becoming a backer of the project at www.kickstarter.com/projects/2120208298/tuskegee-heirso to achieve their ultimate stretch goal. $75K and UP will launch an ANIMATED PILOT (Short piece) to be enjoyed on monitors big and small. For gems and eye candy, follow their facebook page at www.facebook.com/tuskegeeheirs.


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A digital copy of the most recent performance of Shattered - a dark comedy solo show about dating, dysfunction, and sexual devastation, told through the voices of 35+ characters!
TW: Sexual assault and distressing themes explored
All her life Diana hasn't hit it off with the fellas. In 3rd grade, she kicked her crush in the crotch and her dating life didn't improve from there.
What starts as a quick look into why Diana doesn't date much or like sex, ends up a hilarious and heartbreakingly raw journey through dating, dysfunction, and sexual devastation - told through the voices of 35 characters.
Diana delivers a fast-paced, powerhouse performance filled with wit, poignancy and vulnerability, as she explores themes of the psychological fall out of sexual assault, authority figure failures, family abuse cycles, and many more.
In Shattered, Diana uses comedy to take us through tragedy and triumphantly tell the tale of one individual picking up the broken pieces of herself and putting them back together again.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


"lovely clean comfy bed.small room.needs updating with bright colours.lovely hosts.helpful an friendly.nice pool area but needs cleaning up.o..."
"After we booked we received an email announcing some of the rules. Extra charge for check in after 6, extra breakfast charge, etc. Website l..."
"Had a great time staying here the hosts make you feel very welcome. Clean hotel good food and relaxed atmosphere. Plus nice pool at the rear..."
"All in all a most pleasant stay in a warm friendly atmosphere with outstanding owners & staff...."
"it was lovely ,,,people are verry friendley we enjoyed our stay there tho it was our honeymoon so was rearly nice sept weather wasent that g..."
You can be sure of a warm welcome and a comfortable stay at the Richwood, winner of the English Riviera & South Devon Bronze Award for Excellence of Service 2013. In spring of 2013 the Richwood was featured on Channel 4s "Four in a Bed". The Richwood, a large Victorian licensed Guesthouse, is situated 15 minutes' walk from the seafront and Torquay town centre.
Bookings are on a room only basis: a delicious, very reasonably priced a la carte cooked breakfast is available should a cooked breakfast be required. An En-suite shower room, TV with DVD player and tea/coffee making facilities are featured in all rooms at The Richwood. The property has a seasonal outdoor pool open June to September. Check-in from 14. 00 to 1800 hrs. Free Wi-Fi is available in all rooms and throughout the public areas of the Richwood. Free private parking is possible on site. Lebanese (halal), Mediterranean, European and English food is served in the on-site bistro restaurant in the evenings, except Monday. Pre-order bookings are required by 2 pm. The Riviera International Center and Torre Abbey are both just a 15-minute walk. Other local activities include coastal walks, sea and river cruises and water-skiing. Torquay Railway Station is only 0. 8 miles from The Richwood.
Thank you for your review, we are happy that you enjoyed your stay. The pool area, after the high winds we had, was a little "leafy", if you were to see it now you would have to admit it looks great!


We have just received our demonstration model Naim NDX2 to add to our in-store range of high-end digital playback equipment.
Naim Audio have recently overhauled their entire streaming range, with 3 new models being released. The NDX2, the ND 5XS 2 and the flagship ND 555.
With its world-class performance, the versatile and upgradable NDX 2 embodies the current state of the art.
Naim streamers are incredibly versatile and very easy to use. Their app was developed from the early age of streaming and they are the closest company in the industry to perfecting the art. The new streamers have a host of features such as high-res UPnPTM streaming, AirPlay, Chromecast built-in, Bluetooth (aptX HD), Spotify Connect, TIDAL, Roon compatibility, vTuner internet radio and multiroom streaming as well as digital and USB inputs provide all the connectivity you could wish for.
The NDX2 features an upgraded DAC and discrete analogue stages. These and numerous other improvements over its acclaimed predecessor make the NDX 2 a sonic force to be reckoned with, offering highly immersive and lively replay quality.
If you would like to be one of the first people in the country to hear this fantastic streamer, GET IN CONTACT and arrange an appointment.


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Serving Clients in Massachusetts and New Hampshire
Experienced Criminal Defense Attorneys in Massachusetts and New Hampshire
When your freedom and privileges are at stake, the advice you receive becomes extremely important. Our criminal defense lawyers are available 24/7 to help you with your criminal law matter. With over 40 years of experience, we zealously protect your rights and interests.
We defend men, women and juveniles against a wide range of criminal charges (misdemeanors and felonies), including the following:
Drunk Driving: OUI-DUI-DWI
Drug Crimes: possession and distribution
Theft Crimes: white collar crime, shoplifting, larceny and fraud
Assaults and Violent Crimes: sexual assault (rape), physical assault, assault with a weapon
Domestic Violence: criminal charges, restraining orders
Felonies: including armed robbery, rape, murder, and all crimes punishable by more than 2.5 years in state prison
To discuss your defense in confidence with a skilled attorney, call DiFruscia Law Offices at 978-687-1777.
General Criminal Law FAQs
What does MGLA stand for?
MGLA is the abbreviation for Massachusetts' state laws: Massachusetts General Laws Annotated.
What does RSA stand for?
RSA is the abbreviation for New Hampshire state laws: Revised Statutes Annotated.
What is bail?
Bail is a method of reasonably assuring the court the defendant will not be a flight or safety risk.
MGLA Ch. 276 §20D, 42, 42A; RSA Ch. 597
Courts generally look at certain criteria when setting bail, including:
Any prior criminal record
The nature and circumstances of the offense
The potential penalty faced by the defendant
The defendant's family ties, including children living in the community
Property owned in the community
Employment record
History of mental illness
Ties to the community, such as reputation and length of residence in the community
Any previous failures to appear at court
Whether the defendant is a potential danger to others in the community
Whether the defendant is already on probation or parole
Whether the defendant is already on release pending sentence or appeal for another conviction
What is a misdemeanor?
A misdemeanor is any crime punishable by incarceration in a state House of Corrections ("jail") for less than 2.5 years. Misdemeanors include first time OUI's and simple drug possession.
What is a felony?
A felony is any crime punishable by incarceration in state prison for greater than 2.5 years. Felony crimes include murder, armed robbery, and rape.
What is an arraignment?
An arraignment is a formal reading of a charge or charges in the presence of a defendant so that the court knows the defendant know what she or he is charged with. The purpose of an arraignment is to inform the defendant of the charge(s) against them. In response to an arraignment, the defendant will enter a plea. A plea is the defendant's response to the charges and is generally "guilty" or "not guilty."
What is a mandatory sentence?
A mandatory sentence is when court discretion in conferring punishments for certain crimes is limited by law. Generally, this occurs when a person must serve a minimum number of years in prison for a particular crime.
OUI/DUI
What is an OUI/DWI?
OUI/DWI is the abbreviation for "operating under the influence," or "driving while impaired," respectively. This is the crime of illegally driving while impaired. The driver's "Blood Alcohol Content" (BAC) is the method used to determine if you have been driving while impaired.
Massachusetts uses your blood alcohol content (BAC) to determine if you can safely operate a vehicle or are illegally operating under the influence of drugs or alcohol (OUI). The BAC limit for drivers 21 years or older is 0.08%. If you are less than 21 years old, the BAC limit is 0.02%.
In New Hampshire, the BAC level for drivers 21+ is 0.08%. For drivers under 21 years old, the BAC level is 0.02%. Commercial drivers are subject to a BAC limit of 0.04%.
What is considered a previous OUI/DWI "offense"?
In Massachusetts, a previous "offense" includes criminal history back to the date the defendant received their license. Unlike Massachusetts, a record of previous offenses for purposes of charging the OUI as a subsequent offense only goes back ten years in New Hampshire.
What are the penalties?
Massachusetts and New Hampshire impose varying penalties depending on the number of prior charges. Here are some of the penalties:
Massachusetts: [MGLA Ch. 90 Sec. 24]
First Offense:
Not more than 2.5 years imprisonment
Max suspension of license for one year, typically 45 days
Note: If you are under 21 and found guilty of an OUI, license suspension for a first offense is 120 days.
Alcohol Education program
Fine of not less than $500 nor more than $5000
Potential probation for up to one year
Second Offense:
Imprisonment for min. of 60 days (30 day mandatory sentence), nor more than 2.5 years
License suspension for up to 2 years
Fine of not less than $600 nor more than $10,000
7 day treatment program (but waiver if go to facility from court)
Confined treatment program (14 days)
Probation for up to 2 years
Third Offense: felony status
Imprisonment for not less than 180 days (150 day mandatory sentence), nor more than 5 years in state prison. Some time may be served in a correctional facility treatment program(s)
Fine of not less than $1000 nor more than $15,000
Fourth Offense: felony status
Imprisonment for not less than 2 years (1 year mandatory minimum), nor more than 5 years in state prison
License suspension for up to 10 years
New Hampshire: [RSA 265-A: 18]
The court may suspend your license up to 6 months
Required substance abuse screening (completed within 14 days of sentencing)
Negative results: 20 hour impaired driver education program
Positive results for abuse: substance abuse disorder evaluation
Second Offense (prior conviction within the past 10 years):
Imprisonment for min. of 60 days, of which 30 days shall be suspended (when prior conviction was within the past 2 years)
When prior offense is more than 2 years before current charge: min. 17 days imprisonment, of which 12 days shall be suspended upon the condition of a substance disorder evaluation
License suspension for at least 2 years
Required Impaired Driver Care Management Program
Substance abuse evaluation
Third Offense (2 prior convictions within the past 10 years):
Imprisonment for not less than 6 months, of which 150 days shall be suspended
License revoked indefinitely and shall not be eligible to petition for reinstatement for at least 5 years
Required 28-day residential treatment program
Fourth+ Offense (3 prior convictions within the past 10 years): Felony status
What factors are considered in assessing an OUI/DUI charge?
Even if your blood alcohol content does not surpass the legal limit (0.08%), an officer may believe your driving skills are impaired if you:
Drive too slow or fast
Pass improperly
Randomly swerve over different lanes
Run over curbs
Drift over the fog line
Do I need to give the police my license when stopped?
Yes, you must produce both your license and registration.
Do I have to take a field sobriety test if asked?
No. Do not discuss or perform any field sobriety test and insist upon calling your lawyer.
However, in New Hampshire, having a driver's license means you have consented to agree to a sobriety test. You have a right to refuse the sobriety test(s) but will lose your license for 180 days. [RSA 265-A:14]
If I think I can pass a breathalyzer, should I take it?
If you are of the opinion that you could pass a breathalyzer test, call your lawyer before taking it.
What information should I get about the police?
Never be disrespectful to a law enforcement officer. Obtain all information as to what crime they are alleging you may have committed. You should also get names of the officers present and any witnesses.
What do I do if I am arrested?
Only tell the police officer your name, address, and date of birth. Then call your lawyer.
What are some common drug offenses?
Possession: it is a crime to knowingly and intentionally have one or more illegal drugs in one's control with the intent to use them for personal use, distribution, or sale. The kind of drug and amount possessed affects the level of punishment for this offense.
Distribution: the illegal selling, transportation, or import of unlawful substances. Drug distribution/transportation is a felony meaning it is a more serious crime than drug possession.
Manufacture + Sales: knowingly and intentionally producing and/or selling any form of illegal substance. This includes illegally prescribing or advertising drugs without a professional license.
What drugs are illegal in Massachusetts and New Hampshire?
A list of illegal drugs in Massachusetts and New Hampshire includes but is not limited to:
What is the penalty for possession of marijuana in Massachusetts and New Hampshire?
Marijuana possession is a civil penalty in Massachusetts. There is a $100 fine for possessing less than 0.5 ounces of the drug. [MGLA Ch. 94C §32L]
It is a crime to knowingly possess marijuana in New Hampshire. Penalties include minimum fine of $350 for a first offense and $500 for a second or subsequent offense. [RSA §318-B:26]
What are the penalties for a drug offense in MA and NH?
Incarceration and fines depend on the drugs and quantities involved, but the penalties are more severe for "distribution" than for "possession" cases.
Do I really need a defense attorney to handle my case?
The penalties for drug offenses, such as distribution and possession, threaten your rights and liberties. For this reason, it is important to consult with an experienced defense attorney who can advocate for your best interests.
Assault & Violent Crimes
What is simple assault?
A person is guilty of simple assault if they: [RSA 631-2:A]
Purposely cause bodily injury or unauthorized physical contact to another, or
Negligently (carelessly) cause bodily injury to another by means of a deadly weapon
In Massachusetts, a person is generally guilty of simple assault if he or she: [MGLA Ch. 265 §13A]
Attempts to cause or purposely, knowingly, or recklessly causes bodily injury to another; or
Negligently causes bodily injury to another with a deadly weapon; or
Attempts by physical menace to put another in fear of imminent bodily injury
What is first-degree assault?
In New Hampshire and Massachusetts, a person is generally guilty of assault when he or she:
Purposely causes serious bodily injury to another, or
Purposely causes serious bodily injury to another by means of a dangerous weapon, or
Knowingly causes serious bodily harm to someone of a specially protected class (e.g. young, old, etc)
What is assault and battery?
Assault generally means the threat of an imminent, harmful, and unauthorized contact of one person to another. Battery, generally, refers to the offensive and harmful touching that result in physical injury. These crimes are usually cited together to include the imminent threat and unauthorized contact between two persons that results in serious bodily injury. [RSA 631:1; MGLA 265 §13A]
What does "serious bodily injury" mean?
Massachusetts defines "serious bodily injury" as injury that results in permanent impairment of a bodily part or function, disfigurement, extreme mental anguish, or loss of a limb or organ [MGLA 265 §13A]. Whereas New Hampshire defines "serious bodily injury" as any harm to the body which causes severe, permanent, or protracted loss or impairment to the health or of the function of any part of the body [RSA 625: 11 VI].
What is a "deadly weapon"?
A deadly weapon includes any firearm, knife, or other item that, in the manner it is used, is known to be capable of producing serious bodily injury or death. [RSA 625:11; MA 265 §15A]
What factors will a judge consider in determining my punishment?
As always, a judge will consider the type of crime and the circumstances surrounding the crime when sentencing. For an assault or assault and battery conviction these factors might include the extent of the injury, the individual's relationship with the victim, and any prior criminal record. It is best to consult with a criminal defense attorney to ensure your interests are being advocated and your defense is properly presented.
DISCLAIMER: This does not constitute legal advice and nothing herein establishes an attorney-client relationship. Each case is different and unique. Please note that a small fact can change the above-expressed opinions, along with any current changes in the law.
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/ ASUU Files An Appeal Against Court Ruling
ASUU Files An Appeal Against Court Ruling
The lingering crisis between the Federal Government and members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) appears to have no end in sight, as the union announced yesterday its intention to appeal the order of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) directing the suspension of its seven-month strike.
Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, the union's national president, said that efforts are being made to appeal the ruling. He stated that while the judge has the right to render his decision, the union has the right to appeal.
The Federal Government had taken the university lecturers to court, seeking an order compelling them to end their strike and return to work.
On behalf of the Federal Government, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, referred the matter to the NICN in order to resolve the industrial action.
Mr James Igwe (SAN), FG's counsel, urged the court to grant the government's request, arguing that the seven months already lost due to the strike could not be regained.
Citing section 18 (1) (e) of the Trade Dispute Act 2004, Igwe argued that a worker should not go on strike when a matter is already before the court, so he urged the court to order the lecturers to end their strike and return to work.
Although ASUU argued, through its counsel, Femi Falana (SAN), that the Federal Government's request for an accelerated hearing was unnecessary because there was no urgency in the matter because the strike had lasted seven months, the court agreed with the government's submission by issuing an injunction barring the lecturers from continuing the strike.
The court, in a ruling by Justice Polycarp Hamman, barred ASUU from continuing with the strike until the case was resolved.
Because Justice Hamman is on vacation, he ordered that the case file be returned to the president of the Industrial Court for reassignment to another judge.
While urging members to remain calm, Osodeke stated that the union has already filed an appeal against the court ruling.
In the same vein, the union urged members and Nigerians to remain united in a terse statement issued by the Chairman of Lagos Zone, Adelaja Odukoya, even as it suggested that the order would be vacated.
Part of the statement reads: "Our President, Emmanuel Osodeke, has urged members, students and stakeholders to remain calm as there is no cause for alarm on the back to work order by NICN.
"Our lawyer is filing an appeal and stay of execution of the judgment. Members should remain resolute and strong. A people united can never be defeated. Solidarity without compromise."
In the main time, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and the Education Rights Campaign (ERC) have issued statements in response to the industrial court order.
NANS stated that it rejected the Federal Government's "black market" judgment against ASUU. According to Giwa Temitope, National Public Relations Officer of NANS, the judgment betrayed equity because the government should not have brought ASUU before the industrial court at all.
He stated that the only way to end the strike is for the government to meet the union's demands, which it willingly agreed to with ASUU..
"As an association, NANS is disturbed to read the news of the judgment because we believe that it is not right. Ordinarily, the Federal Government should not have dragged ASUU to court. We want to state categorically that the court cannot force ASUU back to the classroom.
"And, as it stands today, we maintain that the court has not resolved the problem and we reject the ruling in its entirety. The court could have directed the FG to pay rather than directing lecturers to go back to classrooms," Temitope said.
This was confirmed by the body's Southwest Coordinator, Emmanuel Olatunji Adegboye, who stated:
"The fact that they had to drag ASUU to court is a signal that this government cannot handle crisis. And we want to state categorically that the court cannot force members of ASUU back to lecture theatres."
National Coordinator of ERC, Hassan Soweto, said the court verdict is unfair and shameful, saying it confirms his belief that "the judiciary is simply an arm of the apparatus of the capitalist state, just as the police and the army."
In response to the court order, he urged the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to declare a 48-hour nationwide warning strike.
He said; "At this stage, all we can say is that our solidarity with ASUU on its resolve to fight for adequate funding of public universities remains unshaken despite the court order."
Due to the NICN ruling, the Congress of University Academics (CONUA) has urged Vice Chancellors of public universities to reopen the institutions for academic activities to resume.
According to the group's National Coordinator, Niyi Sunmonu, this has become necessary because the court is one of the country's recognized tools of democratic engagement.
Sunmonu stated that because CONUA members have not been on strike, reopening the universities will allow students to resume their studies, alleviate restlessness among students who have had their studies interrupted, and facilitate the restoration of peace in the country.
In reaction to the judgement, an Abuja-based lawyer, Douglas Ogbankwa, convener of Vanguard for the Independence of the Judiciary, said that while he received the court verdict with mixed feelings, the order, which is the current one, must be obeyed by ASUU before they can take preventative steps to ventilate their position.
"The comments by ASUU that they will not obey the court order amounts to contempt of court. As ministers in the temple of justice, our duty as lawyers is to ensure that orders of courts are obeyed.
He stated that ASUU, as a legal entity, must work within the confines of the law, obey the order, and, if dissatisfied, take legal action to overturn or discharge the same.
Another lawyer, Godwin Ogboji, stated that because the industrial court that rendered the decision is the court of first instance, ASUU can legally appeal the decision and seek an injunction pending appeal or a stay of execution.
"The consequence of any of these applications is that the strike will continue pending the determination of their appeal, which can be further taken to the Supreme Court."
He urged ASUU to consider the interests of students who have been forced to stay at home for nearly eight months due to the government's refusal to do the necessary.
According to Akamihe Ephraims, a lawyer, while ASUU is required by law to obey the court order, "you can force a horse to the river but you can't force it to drink. Assuming public universities are immediately re-opened, I doubt if the order can make ASUU lecturers who have not been paid their salaries for seven months running to start delivering lectures to students immediately.
"Even if by providence they find themselves in the classrooms, I doubt if they'll be able to impart knowledge if these issues are not immediately resolved.
"The government appears content that public universities are shut down so long as it does not affect them and their children. I think they only started taking them serious when students joined the strike last week and started blocking highways and threatened to picket airports, which affects their movement."
Mr. Femi Aborisade, an Ibadan-based labor activist and human rights lawyer, called the decision a miscarriage of justice. He stated that the strike is a protest against a series of collective agreements that have not been implemented since 1992. Collective bargaining agreements are enforceable under section 254C(1)(J)(i) of the Constitution.
"The Federal Government should be honourable and do the needful by implementing agreements willingly entered into since 1992. That is the way to resolve the dispute meaningfully. Court orders directing lecturers to resume cannot resolve the dispute. It can only suppress one of the parties."
Meanwhile, Dr Salihu Lukman, National Vice Chairman, Northwest of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has backed the court's decision. In response to the development, he stated that lecturers owed it to their students who were subjected to the strike to sacrifice their seven-month salaries.
According to Lukman, the verdict serves as a wake-up call to the Ministry of Labour and Productivity to avoid a repeat of the ASUU strike in accordance with existing laws and regulations.
Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU
Education Rights Campaign (ERC)
National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS)
National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN)
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The list of nominees for national honours circulated by various online media outlets is false, according to the Federal Government's statement…


The 2018 BMW 340 is a high-performance variant of the compact 3 Series luxury sedan. It is positioned above the 330. Powering the 340 is a standard 320-hp, twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter 6-cylinder engine mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive comes standard, while all-wheel drive (xDrive) is optional.


We are a society that's continually adding more and more and more to our plates. From to-do lists to 'destress' articles, 'how to' manuals to tips and tricks for making the most of our time, we've become so inundated with information, pressure, and expectations that we're finding ourselves overwhelmed, even by the simplest of tasks.
We're busy people. That's nothing to be ashamed of. But when we're so packed with obligations, responsibilities, and goals that we can barely function, we're missing out on the ability to truly be our best selves.
Inevitably, we all face feelings of stress and anxiety due to being in way over our heads. Though this isn't something to beat ourselves up about, it is something to work on, as the calmer and steadier we are, the more productive and positive we are—both personally and professionally.
Whether you're struggling with balance, or looking for easy ways to calm yourself when you start feeling pressured, here is a list of things to do when you're feeling overwhelmed.
1. Take a deep breath and re-center yourself.
When you start to feel overwhelmed, or when your list of responsibilities has gotten out of control, take a deep breath and try to re-center yourself on your goals and immediate to-do list.
Close your eyes, inhale deeply, then exhale slowly. Remind yourself that you are powerful, that you are strong, that everything in this life is temporary and you cannot control all that happens to and around you. All you can change is your attitude and response, so encourage yourself in the truth that you are doing the best you can. Build yourself with positive thoughts, bolstering you to get done what needs to be done.
2. Identify the root cause and take steps to eliminate it.
Once you've taken a deep breath and filled both your heart and mind with a sense of peace, identify what it is that's at the core of your stress. Are you worried about a project? Relationship? Deadline? Future plan or place?
See if you can pinpoint the source of what's making you feel overwhelmed. Then take active steps to remove this stress from your life. If it's a deadline for a project, draft an outline of how you'll finish projects and sub goals before that date. If it's a conflict with another person, write a letter of how you feel to either show him/her, or to keep to yourself for clarity and confidence. Or, if it's a bunch of miscellaneous tasks, construct a chronological to-do list that will help you figure out what to do first.
If you're feeling pressured in the workplace, take a hard look at your individual workload and see if you are able to delegate any responsibilities to others. Are you putting it upon yourself to not only get an entire team project done, but manage things outside of your responsibilities? Can you give someone you train, or someone under you, a bit more control? Can you level with a coworker about him or her doing a little more? Could you speak to your boss about what you're doing, or maybe even request more time or pay?
If you're feeling pressured at home, can you ask roommates, spouses, significant others, children, etc. to help you with the list of chores/responsibilities instead of feeling that you have to put everything on your shoulders? Can you communicate and be upfront about how stressed you're feeling? Or simply ask for help as you find you need it?
Take note of how you approach conversations, meetings, etc. Are you the first person to volunteer? To say 'yes'? To add another item to your already pressing workload?
Be mindful of the way you act and react. This doesn't mean that you change so you're saying 'no', or pushing away new opportunities, but instead pay attention to how you're feeling, what you have going on, and what you feel you can physically and emotionally handle at any given point. Learn what you can jump forward into, and what you need to hold back on until you're ready or more available.
5. Take a brain break(s).
Sometimes one of the most effective strategies for overcoming feelings of stress is to simply give your brain a break. Humans don't always work well without breaks, so if you can step away from your work or conflict and take a walk, read a book, surf the internet, be in nature, have a snack, exercise, etc. it can help with your perspective and attitude.
This isn't a procrastination tool, and doesn't mean you push everything off, making yourself more overwhelmed in the long run. Instead, it's more about refocusing your attention onto something else, giving yourself rest from the stress so that you can go back to the task, activity, or issue with a sound and clear mind later.
Perhaps one of the most important strategies for combating stress and being overwhelmed is to speak with self-love. If and when you are saying negative things, like "I can't do this," or "I'm worthless," or "I'll never finish this" you're simply digging yourself into a deeper hole.
Half the battle is empowering yourself to move forward—if you're giving yourself doubt, you'll be rooted and stuck. But when you tell yourself things like, "I can," "I am going to finish this," "I am strong," etc. you can give yourself the boost to actually move forward and accomplish what you're trying to accomplish. Perspective is everything.


text:
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The Boston girl, Anita Diamant
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The item The Boston girl, Anita Diamant represents a specific, individual, material embodiment of a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in Deposit Free Library.
"From the New York Times bestselling author of The Red Tent and Day After Night, comes an unforgettable novel about family ties and values, friendship and feminism told through the eyes of a young Jewish woman growing up in Boston in the early twentieth century. Addie Baum is The Boston Girl, born in 1900 to immigrant parents who were unprepared for and suspicious of America and its effect on their three daughters. Growing up in the North End, then a teeming multicultural neighborhood, Addie's intelligence and curiosity take her to a world her parents can't imagine--a world of short skirts, movies, celebrity culture, and new opportunities for women. Addie wants to finish high school and dreams of going to college. She wants a career and to find true love. Eighty-five-year-old Addie tells the story of her life to her twenty-two-year-old granddaughter, who has asked her 'How did you get to be the woman you are today.' She begins in 1915, the year she found her voice and made friends who would help shape the course of her life. From the one-room tenement apartment she shared with her parents and two sisters, to the library group for girls she joins at a neighborhood settlement house, to her first, disastrous love affair, Addie recalls her adventures with compassion for the naive girl she was and with a wicked sense of humor. Written with the same attention to historical detail and emotional resonance that made Anita Diamant's previous novels bestsellers, The Boston Girl is a moving portrait of one woman's complicated life in twentieth century America, and a fascinating look at a generation of women finding their places in a changing world"--Provided by publisher
New York, NY, Scribner, an imprint of Simon and Schuster, Inc., 2014
Paperback copies are First Scribner trade paperback editions (2015, 21cm.) and inlcude discussion questions
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LOCAL BRIEFS: Former New Mexico State swimmer qualifies for Olympic Trials
Former Aggie qualifies for Olympic Trials
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Former New Mexico State swimmer Kelley Conrad qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials at the Cactus Classic, hosted by the Scottsdale Aquatic Club.
"Kelley is an incredibly driven person, in all areas of her life," said NMSU assistant coach and former teammate Rachel Judge. "Swimming is such a small world, and it was an honor to swim with Kelley in college. Now that we both are coaching, she is continuing to inspire me with her passion and energy and I am so proud of her. It was truly something special to be able to stand on deck and watch one of our best friends continue to chase the dream that brought us all together at New Mexico State."
Conrad qualified in the 50-meter Freestyle. The event at the Cactus Classic was set up in a shootout format with the swimmers needing to meet a specified time to advance to the next round. Conrad competed in all four rounds and finished with a time of 26.11. The Olympic Trial standard is 26.19, which Conrad surpassed by 0.08 seconds. She will now go on to compete in the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Omaha, Neb. on July 2.
Conrad swam at NMSU from 2007 to 2011. She is currently a coach with the Scottsdale Athletic Club and trains under Brian Hoffer.
"I've never been so happy in my entire life," remarked Conrad. "The best part was sharing that amazing moment with many of my best friends from college swimming and my SAC family."
Game times for first three games set
New Mexico State's first three gametimes have been announced.
The Aggies open the 2016 season at UTEP on Sept. 3 at 6 p.m., and it will be televised on the BeIn Network.
The Aggies then play host to the University of New Mexico at 6 p.m., on Sept. 10. NMSU travels to Kentucky for a 2 p.m., kickoff on Sept. 17, which will be televised on SEC Network Alternate.
Bradish named Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American
TUCSON, Ariz. – Kyle Bradish has been named to the Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American team, Collegiate Baseball announced on Wednesday. He is the fifth freshman in school history to receive this honor and the first since Zac Fisher in 2010.
Bradish finished his freshman campaign with an 8-2 record and a 4.67 ERA in 86 2/3 innings pitched. In his 15 starts, he led the team with 82 strikeouts, which was good for third best in the WAC. Against Northern Colorado on May 20, he struck out a career-high nine batters. His eight wins put him in a tie for second most wins in the conference. Against Bradish, opponents only hit .257. The Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American team is selected by the staff of Collegiate Baseball.


text:
Q: How do I add MP3/etc support to my *nix desktop? Almost every desktop *nix seems to ship without support for MP3 or other popular codecs that you really need.
What is the easiest way to add support for these codecs?

A: Our *nix's always recommend free formats over the restricted ones...  see the Ogg Vorbis format (lossy) or FLAC (lossless).  But if you must have your non-free format supported here are guides for a few *nixs
Ubuntu
Ubuntu has a detailed guide for installing restricted formats.  In particular for recent Ubuntu versions it is as simple as opening the Terminal, and executing the following command:
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras

OpenSuse
OpenSuse has a page on restricted formats  and links to a 5 minute solution to MP3 support that shows you how to install the Fluendo MP3 decoder.
LinuxMint
On LinuxMint install the "Codec MP3 Encoding" mint file and you should have MP3 support in SoundJuicer.
Fedora
Fedora only supports MP3 through third party repositories.  And also has a guide to installing Fluendo.
OpenBSD
The OpenBSD FAQ recommends installing LAME and states that "Lame is included in the OpenBSD ports tree."
MP3 Support included
There are some Linux distros like Slackware that include MP3 support by default.

A: In Debian based distributions, such as Ubuntu, you first have to enable their non-free package repositories through your-favorite-package-manager.
In synaptic open Settings > Repositories and make sure all boxes are checked.
In apt-get things are a bit more tricky.  You'll have to track down the URL for your distro's non-free repository and add it to your /etc/apt/sources.list.
Then install your-favorite-mp3 lib, or simply reinstalling your-favorite-media-player.  If that doesn't work, just install VLC, any other media players you have running should pick up and run with the mp3 libraries it depends on.

A: The mp3 codec is patented through Fraunhoffer AG in the United States (Patent 5,579,430).  Deployment of a decoder requires a very small royalty be paid to Fraunhoffer for use of mp3 tech.  Use of the codec without payment subjects the creator(s) of the installation to the liability of patent infringement.

*

*For paid *nix installs, this shouldn't be a problem; it's assumed it will be included in the price.

*For free *nix installs, this can be toxic to ship in a "official" manner.  Being a "free" install, there would be a burden to cough up royalty money every time someone did a download.  Kinda makes it difficult to be "free".
Expect answers to differ on how to best approach this.  The free installs tend to take the "not here, go over there, nudge nudge wink wink" approach.  There is typically a repository that is "unofficially" maintained by volunteers (always in a country where the patent doesn't apply), which you will need to enable in your local installation to gain access to.  Visiting the website or FTP directory for these repositories usually shows an up-front disclaimer that states "If you're in a country that has patents on mp3 tech, you are liable for use of these, yada yada..."
If there is no repository system (such as apt-get or yum) then you're left to your own devices to download the required binaries and/or source, and install them.  One such installation would be LAME, which also provides an mp3 encoder.
Debian's approach is rather novel; they ship the toolame library, which uses the non-patent-encumbered mp2 (mpeg audio layer 2) format, which was a precursor to mp3 (mpeg audio layer 3).  The advantage to this is that the file format works interchangeably with mp3 players, without any effort or incompatibility.  The disadvantage of this is that mp2's are not as well-compressed, so the files tend to be about 10% larger than the same audio compressed as an mp3.  Unfortunately, toolame never really seemed to catch on..

A: Unfortunately, I think this is likely to be very distro specific; in general there's probably a package in your package manager that provides the capability, you just have to figure out what the name of it is

On Gentoo there are global use flags:

*

*mp3 -- Causes a package to depend on media-sound/lame for MP3 encoding

*mad -- Causes a package to depend on media-libs/libmad for MP3 decoding

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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text:
Svearna var en nordgermansk folkstam  som levde i nuvarande Sverige åtminstone från någon gång under vikingatiden, troligen långt tidigare, och framåt. Troligen är dock svear (svioner) en benämning på flera folkstammar i södra Sverige. I begreppet Svioner kan mycket väl flera folkgrupper innefattas som t.ex. götar och vender. De vi idag skulle kalla svear kallades troligen uppsvear under forntiden. Om svear enbart bebodde nuvarande Mälardalen är det troligt att folk på andra sidan östersjön hade kallat dem svear och landet för Svitjod. Istället kallas folk från Mälardalen nästan uteslutande ruser av folk på östra sidan av Östersjön, t.ex. i Finland, Estland och Ryssland. Däremot kallas folk som bodde i södra Sverige alltid för svioner av folk som bodde västerut (britter, friser, danskar etc). Om svear enbart bodde i Mälarlandskapen är det inte troligt att t.ex. folk från brittiska öarna hade kallat folk från nuv. västra Sverige för svear, vilket de gjorde. Svear var troligen ett samlingsnamn för alla folkstammar i södra Sverige, precis som daner och norrmän innefattade flera olika folkstammar. Begreppen svear och Svealand uppstår i svensk historia först på 1200-talet och får sin blomstring under Rudbecks epok på 1600-talet när i stort sett allt sades härstamma från Mälardalen - exempelvis latin och grekiska. Svearna ligger bakom nationsnamnet Sverige som är en sammandragning av "Svea rike" (Svea är fornsvenskt genitiv av svear). Historiskt har staten Sverige beskrivits som en fortsättning på ett Svea rike, en hypotetisk statsbildning skapad av svearna.

Den första gången svear möjligen omnämns i skrift är hos den romerske statsmannen och historikern Tacitus år 98 e.Kr. I sin bok Germania omnämner han svioner (latin: Suiones, som möjligen är språkligt besläktat med svear).. Professor Birger Nerman var väldigt tveksam till att Tacitus benämnde svearna eftersom det inte finns några bevis för en sveamakt förrän långt senare. Ytterligare bekymmer är att Tacitus menar att svionernas land ligger helt omgiven av hav (se Romarna nedan).

Goten Jordanes nämner sedan omkring år 500 suehans och suetidi. Inget av namnen syftar nödvändigtvis på svearna.

Snorre Sturlasson beskriver i Ynglingasagan att Oden och hans folk invandrade från "Asland" eller "Ashem", öster om Don, för att bosätta sig i Sigtuna.

En invandring till området norr om Mälaren skedde möjligen efter mitten på 400-talet då en omvälvning sker i landskapet och i gravskicket.

Etymologi
Ett folk kan ha ett namn som de själva tagit eller som andra folk gett dem. (jfr "Inuit" och "eskimå") Ibland kan dessa namn något så när överensstämma. Namnet kan ha mångtusenåriga anor och gå så långt tillbaka i tiden att den första formen av namnet tillkom när folket levde någon annanstans än det gör idag. Språk som fornnordiska och forngermanska och latin fanns inte för 8000 år sedan, däremot olika dialekter av ett ursprungligt indoeuropeiskt språk.

Formen suiones dyker upp i Tacitus Germania och en liknande form uppträder i anglosaxiskans swēon(as) och formen sueones dyker upp i Adam av Bremens krönika. I Jordanes' Getica uppträder formerna suehans och suetidi. I islänningasagorna kallas de svíar.

Noréen var den förste som föreslog att suiones är den latinska formen av ett urgermanskt *swihoniz vilket skulle ha betydelsen "de egna, vi själva". I det urindoeuropeiska språk som språkforskarna försöker gissa sig till genom att gå bakåt från de äldsta indoeuropeiska språken, antas också formen "swe" eller "sui" betyda "själv", "oss", "oss själva", "vårt" eller något liknande. Samma gissade urindoeuropeiska har även snarlika ord som ofta har med vatten att göra, både "regn" och "sund"/"vik". Liknande ord, som "sueid" leder till betydelsen "skinande" / "gyllene", men många ord som kan kopplas språkhistoriskt till olika stammar i västra och östra Europa har en betydelse som kan tolkas som ljushyllt eller blond.

Formen *swihoniz skulle i Wulfilas gotiska ha haft formen *swaíhans, vilket i Jordanes gotiska skulle ha blivit suehans. Den motsvarande urnordiska formen skulle då ha varit *swehaniR. Denna form skulle enligt de ljudförändringar som fornnordiskan genomgick ha blivit svíar. En delvis liknande tolkning gjordes av Otto von Friesen som föreslog att namnet härleds ur roten *swe (egentligen samma rot som Noréen betecknade som *swih- och som ligger till grund för suus) och skulle då ursprungligen ha varit ett adjektiv *sweoniz med betydelsen "släkt". Då skulle den gotiska formen ha varit *swians och h:et i suehans skulle ha varit ett inskott. Den urnordiska formen skulle då ha varit *sweoniR vilket också skulle ha utmynnat i de historiskt attesterade formerna. Julius Pokorny (1959) menar också i Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch att Suiones och svíar är härledda från samma rot som ligger till grund för suus och betyder "egen"; han betecknar denna rot som *su¸e-, en variant av *se-. Samma åsikt anammas av Elof Hellquist i Svensk etymologisk ordbok (1922) och likaledes av Oskar Bandle (2002). Ett liknande ursprung anses ligga till grund för folknamnet sveber, varav det moderna Schwaben är härlett.

Av namnet svíar bildades under fornnordisk tid även adjektivet svænskr, det vill säga dagens svensk. Egentlig substantivform saknades. Istället användes beteckningar som utgick från adjektivet, till exempel "svensk man" eller bara "svensk". Detta ledde under senare delen av medeltiden till en begreppsförvirring som kom att leda till dagens pluralform "svenskar".

Det urgermanska *swihoniz eller *sweoniz blev del av olika sammansättningar. En av dessa var fornnordiskans Svíþjóð eller Svíþjúð (där Sví bokstavligen betyder "de egna/vi själva/oss/vårt" eller något liknande, och þjúð bokstavligen betyder "folk", dvs. ungefär "vårt folk"). I anglosaxiskan var formen Swēoðēod (Beowulf). Denna sammansättning uppträder på runstenar i lokativen i suiþiuþu (Aspa Löt, Södermanland), a suiþiuþu (Simris, Skåne) och a suaþiauþu (Tirsted, Lolland). Den danska källan Scriptores rerum danicarum från 1200-talet nämner en plats kallad litlæ swethiuthæ vilket troligen är holmen Sverige nära Stockholm. Det är intressant att notera att den enda stam som uppvisat ett liknande namn var goterna som från namnet *gutans (jämför suehans) bildade namnet gut-þiuda.

Namnet Svitjod och dess olika former gav upphov till det latinska namnet för Sverige: Suethia, Suetia och Suecia
liksom namnen på Sverige i västgermanska språk som engelskans Sweden och tyskans Schweden.

En annan sammansättning var Svíariki (fornisländska), Suiariki (forngutniska i Gutasagan) eller Swēorice (anglosaxiska i Beowulf). Formen Swēarike utvecklades under 1400-talet till Sverighe på samma sätt som bakare blev bagare och mik blev mig. Gustav II Adolf använde formen Swirge och idag uttalas namnet svärje medan stavningen Sverige har blivit standard.

Andra sammansättningar var Swēoland (anglosaxiska i Ottars resa) och Svíaveldi (isländska sagor).

Historia
Skriftliga källor saknas i stort sett för tiden före 1100-talet. Utöver germanska legender och nordisk mytologi finns det få källor som beskriver dem, trots att en stam som troligen motsvarar svearna nämndes så tidigt som under det första århundradet efter Kristus.

Romarna
Det finns två källor från det första århundradet som citeras när det handlar om svearna. En av dessa är en romersk expedition ca 25 e.kr. och som beskrivs utförligt av Plinius den yngre. Denne berättar att romarna hade rundat den Cimbriska halvön (dvs. Jylland) och anlänt i den Codanska bukten (Kattegatt?). Där fanns flera öar varav den mest kända var Scatinavia (i den tidigaste utgåvan av Pomponius Melas  De Situ Orbis (III, 6, 54) skriven trettio eller fyrtio år tidigare benämnt Codannovia). Öns storlek ansågs okänd, men i en del av den bodde en stam som kallades hillevionum gente i 500 byar och de betraktade sitt land som en värld för sig.

Det som har slagit kommentatorer är att denna stora stam är okänd för eftervärlden, om det inte är fråga om en felskrivning för Illa suionum gente, vilket då skulle betyda ungefär "de beryktade svearna".

Tacitus skrev år 98 att svionerna var en mäktig stam vars militära försvar är styrt av en kungamakt, anmärkningsvärda inte bara för deras krigare utan också för deras stora flotta med fartyg som såg likadana ut i både för och akter:

Härefter komma ute i själva oceanen svionernas folkområden, vilka äro mäktiga icke allenast genom manskap och vapen utan även genom flottor. Skeppens byggnad är därigenom egenartad, att icke allenast fram- utan även bakstammen bildar en för landning lämplig stäv. Varken föra de segel eller fastgöra de årorna i rad längs skeppsborden. Lösa, såsom det brukas på åtskilliga floder och flyttbara allt efter förhållandenas krav, lika användbara åt ömse håll, anbringas årorna. Här står även rikedom i anseende, och därför råder envälde utan alla inskränkningar, med obetingad rätt till åtlydnad. Också är bärandet av vapen icke, såsom hos övriga germaner, vars och ens rättighet, utan vapnen förvaras inneslutna under bevakning, vilken till på köpet förrättas av en träl. Alla oförutsedda angrepp från fiendehåll hindras nämligen av oceanen, och dessutom göra sig sysslolösa hopar av väpnade lätt skyldiga till självsvåld.  Säkerligen är det därför mycket klokt och förnuftigt av konungamakten att varken anförtro en ädelboren eller en friboren eller ens en frigiven tillsynen över vapnen. (översättning N. E. Hammarstedt, Hugo Gebers förlag 1916)

Jordanes
Efter Tacitus är det först på 500-talet som ett folk som möjligen är identiskt med svearna åter dyker upp i källorna. I Jordanes Getica omnämns dels namnet suehans, som han säger har utmärkta hästar liksom tyringarna (alia vero gens ibi moratur Suehans, quae velud Thyringi equis utuntur eximiis), dels suetidi, som många anser är ytterligare ett benämnande av svearna, det vill säga Svitjod, men där informationen tagit andra vägar. Dessa utklassade resten i hållning (Suetidi, cogniti in hac gente reliquis corpore eminentiores).

Anglosaxarna
Nästa omnämnande av svearna dyker upp i 500-tals eller 600-talskvädet Widsith på rad 32 där också sveakungen
Ongentheow nämns:

I Beowulfkvädet som utspelar sig under 500-talet (dateringen av själva kvädet varierar mellan 700-talet och 1000-talet) nämns inte bara Ongentheow utan också hans söner Ohthere och Onela och sonsonen Eadgils. Detta kväde handlar dock i huvudsak om danerna och geaterna (antingen götar, jutar eller gutar), men beskriver ingående konflikterna mellan geater och svear och i slutet förutspås det att geaterna ska bli anfallna av svearna ännu en gång.

På 800-talet berättar Wulfstan att svearna härskar över både Blekinge, Möre, Öland och Gotland.

Rimbert
I Rimberts krönika över Ansgars liv får vi veta att sveakungen Björn sände en budbärare till kejsar Ludvig den frommes hov och bad om missionärer. De anlände ca 830 och grundade en kortlivad församling. Rimbert berättar också om strider i Kurland under sveakungen Olof.

Adam av Bremen
Adam av Bremen berättade mot slutet av 1000-talet om svearna och att de hade många fruar, var hårda mot brottslighet och var mycket gästfria. Han berättar också om hednatemplet i Uppsala och om deras rike.
Han beskriver svearna som bestående av flera stammar, att de var mäktiga sjökrigare och använde sin flotta för att hålla grannarna i schack. Deras kungar var av en gammal ätt, men de var beroende av folkets vilja. Det som beslutats av folket var viktigare än kungens åsikter, försåvitt inte kungens åsikter verkade klokast, och då lydde de oftast. I krigstider lydde de dock kungen blint, eller den som kungen utsåg till härledare. Om krigslyckan var emot dem bad de till en av sina många gudar och var tacksamma mot denne om de vann.

Nordiska källor
Gesta danorum och de isländska sagorna skrevs ned under 1100-talet, 1200-talet och 1300-talet och var tidigare viktiga för svensk historieskrivning. I dessa sagor skrivs mycket om svearna och sveariket och det går inte att utesluta att åtminstone en del information bygger på historiska händelser. Så nämns till exempel tre kungar Ottar Vendelkråka, Ale den uppländske och Adils, som sannolikt motsvarar Beowulfkvädets Ohthere och Onela och Eadgils. Det är dock inte helt säkert att dessa uppgifter är oberoende. Svearna benämns även i Gutasagans berättelse om Avair Strabain.

På Pireuslejonet finns där även spår av att Svearna har ristat in sin egen härkomst enligt Erik Brates översättning 1913.

Brates översättning är den mest trovärdiga och vedertagna , men inte den enda tolkningen. Runorna blev ristade någon gång under 1040-talet. Det skulle göra dem till den äldsta bevarade nordiska skriften med namnet svear utanför Norden, även om namnet Svitjod (fornnordiska för Sverige) förekommit på en del runstenar.

hiuku þir hilfninks milum
hna en i hafn þesi þir min
eoku runar at haursa bunta
kuþan a uah
riþu suiar þita linu
fur raþum kul uan farin

I denna hamn högg dessa män runor efter Horse, den raske bonden. Svear ombesörjde detta på lejonet

Se även
Svitjod
Svearike
Slaget på Vänerns is
Mora sten
Daner
Ruser
Germaner
Vikingar
Nordmän
Götar
Gutar

Källor

Germanska stammar
Äldre folkgrupper i Europa
Folkvandringstiden
Sverige under vikingatiden

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


When experts talk about employee engagement, most people imagine lower-level employees and middle managers. These workers have minimal authority over their daily tasks, they are the least job-secure, and they tend to receive the lowest pay and worst benefits packages, meaning they are most likely to be disengaged from their work. As a result, the web is filled with engagement solutions to keep lower-level employees around.
Yet, while HR professionals devote the bulk of their energy to engaging this portion of the workforce, executives are suffering. Though they have greater responsibility and greater remuneration for their efforts, executives can still disengage from their work, lowering their productivity, and endangering the entire business – including those workers at lower levels. However, the engagement solutions that work for lower-level employees rarely apply to higher-level business leaders. Therefore, HR professionals need an entirely different strategy for executive engagement.
Executives already earn high salaries, and they generally have more control over their schedules and tasks. Therefore, the monetary rewards and engagement strategies HR is most familiar with don't work.
Most HR reps can't relate to executives.
Most HR professionals have more in common with low-level employees than upper-echelon executives. Most HR reps earn respectable salaries and average benefits; they complete daily tasks that have little bearing on the greater goals and direction of the company; and only the CHRO and similar top-tier HR workers ever interact with executives. Thus, few members of HR comprehend the lifestyle and struggles of working in the higher levels of an organization.
The first step to engaging executives is understanding executives. It is important to consider that although executives might boast different responsibilities, they are still human. As such, they experience stress and concern for their jobs, their subordinates' jobs, and their families' well-being. Further, executives have interests and hobbies, they consume media, and they take pleasure in small joys like the rest of us. Remembering this, HR reps should find it easier to empathize with higher-level workers.
It might also be useful to know what executives discuss with one another – which is not nearly as disparate from the lower-levels as HR reps might expect. Alongside infrequent discussions about business direction and organization design, executives lament their full schedules and intrusive meetings, gossip and chat about mutual acquaintances and people within the organization, and generally talk about what work needs to be done. A savvy HR professional will note that their discussions are nearly identical to those of lower-level workers.
Need. Executives have finely honed talents, and they want to know their talents are integral for business success.
Passion. Like everyone else, executives want to like what they do.
Chemistry. Workplace culture is important; even executives want to like the people they work with.
Challenge. Executives tend to be competitive. If a job isn't challenging enough, most will disengage.
It isn't difficult to develop engagement programs around executives knowing how simple and common their needs and wants truly are. To stimulate their need motivation, HR reps can institute a "thank your boss" day, where higher-level employees receive executive gifts. To improve chemistry around the office, HR can organize team-building exercises that are mandatory for the C-suite.
Another useful tactic for engaging executives is to connect them more closely with their subordinates. While some high-level managers are naturally proficient at seeking out and befriending low-level employees, most executives maintain a boundary between themselves and the grunts. HR should strive to coach executives in their behavior toward lower levels, revealing their blind spots when it comes to leadership methods and results. HR should lead by example, placing people first and exemplifying how executives should interact with other members of the organization.
If necessary, HR should encourage executives to enroll in leadership training courses; just because they've reached the higher levels doesn't mean they can't acquire new skills and knowledge. If an organization invests in its people, its people will invest in the business – even executives understand the value of that.
If you want to share this article the reference to Tiffany Rowe and The HR Tech Weekly® is obligatory.
Is HR Responsible for Web Security?
It is safe to say that cybersecurity should be among a business's top priorities. While malware like WannaCry spreads around the globe, ruining company after company, small and large businesses alike should be focused on strengthening their digital defenses and building a workplace culture focused on security. Undoubtedly, most HR professionals will wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment – but many won't lift a finger to address gaps in their employers' cybersecurity.
There are often concerns over who should build and maintain cybersecurity within a business. On one hand, security software is installed on tech devices, which belong in IT's wheelhouse. Then again, a security breach affects customer relations, so perhaps the customer service department should ensure every device is protected. However, the truth is that HR should take the bulk of the responsibility for keeping a business safe. Here's why.
Through incentivization efforts, behavior-monitoring, policy-setting, management of resources, and more, HR departments work to reinforce the integrity of the business's foundation: its people. Furthermore, HR provides support for the business, its employees, and ultimately its customers, assisting in the achievement of personal and organizational goals that benefit everyone. Because security should be a primary goal for modern businesses, web security measures should be a top concern for HR departments, too.
When a cyberattack is successful, it isn't just the faceless company that suffers. Often, employee private information, perhaps including payment data, is leaked as well as business-related financial information. Conversely, a business's tech assets are hardly imperiled by hackers, who are rarely interested in destroying software or able to impact hardware, so the IT department has little to fear from cyberattack. Because HR serves the business and its employees, who are most threatened by cyber-dangers, HR should work to ensure such data is well-protected by comprehensive web security software.
Yet, effective security software is just one piece of the cyber-protection puzzle. Security experts assert that more often than not, a business's employees are responsible for data breaches and successful cyberattacks. After all, it is the employees who visit questionable websites, who open shady emails, who click suspicious links, and who fail to install timely updates. Because HR is responsible for employee behavior, HR professionals should actively work against these unhealthy and insecure practices by influencing the culture of the workplace.
HR already has a massive impact on corporate culture. Recruiting efforts can target certain personalities, which form the foundation of a workplace culture. Additionally, HR designs policies and guidelines which shape how employees behave. HR departments should use this sway to establish a culture focused on security. Hiring security-minded workers, hosting regular security trainings, and instilling the idea that security is everyone's job are ways to ensure employees are aware and alert to security.
There are all sorts of laws and regulations outlining how businesses should behave, and HR should be familiar with all of them to keep the business safe from fines, litigation, and worse. Often, these rules concern payment minimums and structures, mandatory vacation time, and termination means and methods – but increasingly, the government is turning its attention to online behavior. Already, seven major industries have compliance obligations for digital data. Because HR professionals are already well-versed in adhering to compliance rules, it is hardly a stretch for them to understand burgeoning security regulations. Instead of trying to manage compliance and action in different departments, businesses can streamline the process by giving HR total control over web security efforts.
These days, every aspect of a business relies on technology – including the HR department. HR professionals use all sorts of digital tools to manage their workforces, from payroll platforms to internal messaging services to online recruitment processes. Should a business's network be compromised by cyberattack, HR will be as unable to complete their tasks as any other department. If for no other reason than this, HR should be concerned about internet security.
Security failures are bad for business, but they are particularly bad for HR. Because HR departments' goals align with those of security efforts – and because HR professionals are already well-equipped to handle the intricacies of cybersecurity – HR should be responsible for a business's web security.
You have to be smart to work in human resources. You won't hear this from anyone outside of HR, but it's the truth. HR professionals balance all sorts of responsibilities, from administering compensation and benefits to settling disputes between employees to organizing weekly, monthly, and annual events. It's a tough gig, and it takes diligence and intelligence to pull off.
Therefore, to advance in HR, you need to be even more diligent and intelligent than your HR peers – which means you need to be better educated than they are. Advanced degrees are known to help the ambitious speed up the corporate ladder, and that's true in HR, too. The following four degrees are incredibly different from one another, but that's exactly why they are perfect for those interested in being better at HR.
It shouldn't be surprising that studying human resources is good for those seeking jobs in human resources. A master's degree in Human Resources Management targets the field of HR, imbuing students with highly focused knowledge and skills that are exceedingly useful to HR careers. Professionals equipped with the MHRM can typically skip the years of entry-level employment and begin as HR managers, opening up access to better career prospects in the near future.
The only potential downside to an MHRM is the restriction of its material. Students who acquire this advanced degree should be committed to working within HR for their lifetimes, as the information and abilities gained therein hardly apply to other business departments. Fortunately, every business sector requires HR professionals, so graduates with this degree do have some ability to move in their HR careers – though perhaps not as much as grads from the following advanced programs.
Arguably the three most familiar letters in business, the MBA is a highly contentious degree program. On one hand, it provides students with essential business leadership skills as well as a foundation in several business fields, including HR. On the other hand, so many schools are producing MBAs every year that employers are beginning to wonder whether that extra education is worthwhile to the workforce.
The truth is MBAs continue to be valuable to businesses – especially in the HR department. The necessity for HR professionals to boast a bevy of skills makes the broad scope of the MBA useful; HR workers can learn the details of all business functions, from accounting to marketing, improving their ability to hire specialized workers and communicate with those teams. Plus, acquiring an AACSB online MBA will give you more flexibility in your career, so you can leave HR for nearly any other business field, if you so desire.
Human resources professionals work primarily with people, and secondarily with numbers – so it seems odd that a degree in computer science might be useful to HR. However, like nearly every other business field, HR processes have begun relying heavily on tech, so being proficient in computer science is actually a significant boon to HR workers. With an MS in Computer Science, HR professionals can design and maintain useful programs for HR and other business departments, which can speed up processes, relieve overburdened teams, and help the business become more productive overall. Additionally, it's conceivable that a tech-savvy HR manager would be promoted into positions like Chief Technology Officer. Thus, computer science isn't a totally wild advanced degree for HR professionals to obtain.
Then again, if you entered the HR field for its promise of human contact, you might be drawn to an advanced degree in social work. A Master of Social Work is mandatory for any social work positions, but it is also exceedingly beneficial for professionals looking to become proficient in working with people. Courses on psychology and sociology as well as administrative training provide an unbeatable foundation for assisting people work through issues and reestablish stability. Even better, social work programs teach students about important laws and regulations, which will improve your ability to maintain standards for your employer. Because social work and the HR field overlap in so many ways, this degree program can be just as beneficial as an MHRM.
Whether you would be content with a management position or you want access to the C-suite, you should probably earn an advanced degree to move up in HR. The above programs offer the most applicable knowledge and skills, but you can explore other options by contacting business schools or speaking with a qualified HR mentor.


text:
package com.esri.arcgisruntime.sample.honormobilemappackageexpirationdate;

import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;
import java.util.Locale;

import android.os.Bundle;
import android.view.View;
import android.widget.TextView;
import android.widget.Toast;

import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity;
import com.esri.arcgisruntime.mapping.ExpirationType;
import com.esri.arcgisruntime.mapping.MobileMapPackage;
import com.esri.arcgisruntime.mapping.view.MapView;

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {

  private MapView mMapView;
  private TextView mExpirationMessageTextView;
  // objects that implement Loadable must be class fields to prevent being garbage collected before loading
  private MobileMapPackage mMobileMapPackage;

  @Override
  protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

    // get a reference to the map view
    mMapView = findViewById(R.id.mapView);

    // get a reference to the expiration text view
    mExpirationMessageTextView = findViewById(R.id.expirationMessageTextView);

    // create a mobile map package from a local mmpk
    mMobileMapPackage = new MobileMapPackage(getExternalFilesDir(null) + getString(R.string.path_to_expired_mmpk));

    // wait for the map package to load
    mMobileMapPackage.addDoneLoadingListener(() -> {
      // check if the map package has expiration information and if so, has it expired yet
      if (mMobileMapPackage.getExpiration() != null && mMobileMapPackage.getExpiration().isExpired()) {
        // define a format for the date
        SimpleDateFormat daysHoursFormat = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd' at 'hh:mm:ss", Locale.US);
        // show the expiration text view
        mExpirationMessageTextView.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
        // set the expiration message and expiration date to the text view
        mExpirationMessageTextView.setText(getString(R.string.expiration_text,
            mMobileMapPackage.getExpiration().getMessage(),
            daysHoursFormat.format(mMobileMapPackage.getExpiration().getDateTime().getTime())));
        if (mMobileMapPackage.getExpiration().getType() == ExpirationType.ALLOW_EXPIRED_ACCESS) {
          // add the map to the map view
          mMapView.setMap(mMobileMapPackage.getMaps().get(0));
        } else if (mMobileMapPackage.getExpiration().getType() == ExpirationType.PREVENT_EXPIRED_ACCESS) {
          Toast.makeText(this, "The author of this mobile map package has disallowed access after the expiration date.",
              Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
        }
      }
    });
    mMobileMapPackage.loadAsync();
  }

  @Override
  protected void onPause() {
    mMapView.pause();
    super.onPause();
  }

  @Override
  protected void onResume() {
    super.onResume();
    mMapView.resume();
  }

  @Override
  protected void onDestroy() {
    mMapView.dispose();
    super.onDestroy();
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Music/Classical
In the Hall of the Mountain King – Stirring Live Orchestral Performance
Posted by Gary Reiner ⋅ August 24, 2016 ⋅ Leave a comment
In the Hall of the Mountain King is one of the most recognizable classical songs ever composed. It is part of the Peer Gynt suites composed by Edvard Grieg.
The unmistakable theme has helped In the Hall of the Mountain King attain iconic status in popular culture. The song has been arranged by many artists, including Duke Ellington andThe Who. It has appeared in numerous film and TV productions. See Grieg's music in popular culture for an extensive listing of where the song has appeared.
Peer Gynt, written by the Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg in 1875, is the incidental music to Henrik Ibsen's 1867 play, Peer Gynt. The music premiered along with the play in 1876. The play's lead character is Peer Gynt, and the story centers around a troll king that Peer Gynt invents in a fantasy.
Edvard Grieg was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is widely considered one of the leading Romantic era composers, and his music is part of the standard classical repertoire worldwide. Grieg used and developed Norwegian folk music in his compositions, which launched Norway's music onto the international scene. He also helped develop Norwegian romantic nationalism. Similarly, Sibelius and Dvořák helped develop the national music identities of Finland and Bohemia, respectively.
Grieg traveled widely throughout Europe and is regarded as both nationalistic and cosmopolitan. He felt his music expressed both the beauty of Norwegian rural life and the overall culture of Europe.
Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is referred to as "the father of theatrical realism" and is one of the founders of Modernism in theater. Ibsen was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1902, 1903 and 1904. He wrote his plays inDanish — the common written language of both Denmark and Norway.
Ibsen is often ranked as one of the most distinguished playwrights in the European tradition. He is widely regarded as the most important playwright since Shakespeare. Ibsen is the most frequently performed dramatist in the world after Shakespeare. Ibsen's play, A Doll's House, became the world's most performed play by the early 20th century.
Ibsen influenced other playwrights and leading novelists including: George Bernard Shaw,Oscar Wilde, Arthur Miller, James Joyce, Eugene O'Neill and Miroslav Krleža.
Several of Ibsen's later dramas were considered scandalous to many folks during his era, when European theater was expected to model strict morals of family life and propriety. Ibsen's later work examined the realities that lay behind many façades, revealing much that was disquieting to many contemporaries. He utilized a critical eye and free inquiry into the conditions of life and issues of morality. Ibsen's poetic and cinematic early play, Peer Gynt, has strong surreal elements.
Henrik Ibsen's Major Works:
A Doll's House
Emperor and Galilean
The Wild Duck
In the Hall of the Mountain King — Edvard Grieg — Live Performance
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text:
"Haredi barbecue on Holocaust day sparks uproar" - by Jeremy Sharon of JPost
4/9/13- A group of haredim who marked Holocaust Remembrance Day by having a barbecue party in Jerusalem's Gan Sacher aroused anger and opposition from several quarters on Monday.
According to Yediot Ahronot, approximately 200 haredi youths held a barbecue on Sunday night at the same as the Yad Vashem memorial service was taking place.
Yotam Barzani, a news editor for Israel Radio disputed the figures however, saying on his Facebook page that he arrived at the park at 11:05 p.m. and found only 35 people making barbecues.
One youth said they were honoring the memory of Holocaust victims in their own way, Yediot Ahronot reported. Another accused secular people of desecrating the Sabbath and failing to observe the Fast of Gedaliah, one of the six public fasts of the Jewish calendar, which marks the final loss of Jewish independence under the Babylonians.
Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger condemned the incident and said he protested in the strongest terms people who separated themselves from the community, calling the event a desecration of God's name.
In his comments, made on haredi radio station Kol Berama, Metzger addressed a common complaint from the haredi community that standing silent is not a Jewish custom and is a waste of time.
"There is no reason that a Jew shouldn't learn to elevate the souls of the six million today, there is no 'bitul Torah' in this," he said. "There is no reason that a Jew out in public shouldn't stand still at the siren and say a chapter of Psalm.
"If you're out in public, it is sensitive, it's is a desecration of God's name [not to stand still]," he continued.
"All the more so, to go and make a barbecue at a time when Jews are in mourning and are in pain over six million people? How is this permissible? It is a desecration of Gods name. Are in a place completely cut off from the world?" Metzger asked.
The Chief Rabbi also commented on the failure to observe the Jewish Fast of the Ninth of Av, commemorating the destruction of the two ancient Temples in Jerusalem, by non-religious people, saying that engaging in leisure activities and eating at restaurants on the fast is also inappropriate.
Joint Shas leader Arye Deri took to Facebook to condemn the incident, expressing "deep shock" at what was a stain on the haredi community.
"I call on teachers and educators to pass on to the next generation the particular importance of these days and instill into their consciousness the sensitivity required of them," Deri wrote.
Dr. Efraim Zuroff, director of the Simon Weisenthal Center in Israel, explained that hostility in the haredi world to observing Holocaust Remembrance Day for various philosophical and theological reasons.
There is a general antipathy to performing any ceremony determined and established by the state, as well as more specific opposition to any element of commemoration which does not have Jewish roots, such as sirens and observing moments of silence.
Zuroff added that the haredi world views the connection made between the Holocaust and the establishment of the State of Israel as problematic, given the extremely anti-Zionist roots of haredi Judaism
He also noted that in theological terms, the Holocaust is very difficult to deal with for the haredi world.
"The fact that one and a half million children died, who are not considered responsible for sin, as well as so many outstanding Torah scholars, is hard to explain, especially when the haredi world is not open to questioning Gods ways," Zuroff said.
TV and Radio host Judy Mozes said on Twitter in response to the incident, "And then they wonder why they're not wanted in the government and why the public is anti-haredi?... they should be ashamed of themselves."


text:
House Passes $15-Billion Global AIDS Measure
In a key victory for President George W. Bush and anti-AIDS activists, the U.S. House of Representatives Thursday approved a five-year, $15 billion package to fight HIV/AIDS in 14 African and Caribbean nations
Jim Lobe
In a key victory for President George W. Bush and anti-AIDS activists, the U.S. House of Representatives Thursday approved a five-year, $15 billion package to fight HIV/AIDS in 14 African and Caribbean nations. The bill, which would provide $3 billion each year beginning in 2004 to some of the world's worst-affected countries, provides that up to $1 billion in each annual installment should go the cash-strapped Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria.
That was five times the amount that Bush originally proposed for the Global Fund when he first requested the $15 billion package in his State of the Union address late last January. Bush, however, went along with the higher amount for the Fund, which is chaired by his Health and Human Services Secretary, Tommy Thompson, after lobbying by the right-wing chairman of the House International Relations Committee, Henry Hyde, who crafted the final version of the bill.
While claiming a significant victory in Thursday's vote, activists cautioned against early celebration, stressing that the money contained in the bill still faces a number of obstacles before it can actually be disbursed, even if, as expected, the Senate passes the same or a similar version as early as next week. That's because the bill passed Thursday merely "authorizes" the money. For the funds actually to be spent, they must be included in a separate appropriations bill, which is likely to be taken up later this year.
"Similar (authorization) bills have been ignored in the past, even when approved by the full House," said Paul Zeitz, director of the Global AIDS Alliance. "The real test of the president's commitment will be whether he works hard to persuade members of the Appropriations Committees to turn these funding levels into a reality," Zeitz added.
More Broken Promises?
The point was echoed by Salih Booker, director of Africa Action, a grassroots group that has lobbied for Washington to provide as much as $3.5 billion annually to the Global Fund, a multilateral agency established to better coordinate funding for anti-AIDS projects around the world. "This is just the authorization," he said, "so it's an easy vote. The question is whether Congress is prepared to break the budget limits and really appropriate the money." Still, activists, including Booker, conceded that the House bill is a far better product than what Bush had originally proposed in January.
In addition to providing only $200 million a year to the Global Fund, Bush's original proposal also called for starting disbursements much more slowly over the five-year period, with only $1.6 billion to be spent in fiscal 2004, which begins October 1. The administration also considered placing anti-abortion-related conditions on the money that would have made it far more difficult for grassroots groups to become a recipient. But Hyde, a long-time anti-abortion leader himself, helped persuade Bush and a number of right-wing Republicans that tough curbs on spending the money would alienate Democrats, and that, to ensure strong bipartisan support, both sides would have to compromise on the final bill.
Bush, who intends to travel to Africa later this year, went along in spite of opposition from some Christian Right leaders, who objected to providing money for encouraging the use of condoms to prevent transmission of HIV and to the lack of U.S. control over the Global Fund's funding policies. "The bill, in its present form, would throw taxpayer money at condom handout schemes in Africa," said Ken Conner, director of the right-wing Family Research Council (FRC) earlier this week. "By signaling that President Bush will sign the bill 'as is,' the White House probably has made it much more difficult to pass amendments which would focus U.S. efforts on abstinence and monogamy, or which would limit funding to the UN's disastrous Global AIDS Fund and other anti-family organizations."
But Bush, while indicating sympathy with concerns like Conner's, bowed to Hyde. "Time is not on our side," he declared Tuesday at a White House ceremony that included 13 ambassadors from sub-Saharan Africa where AIDS has hit hardest, claiming more than 5,000 lives in the region each day. "So I ask Congress to move forward with the speed this crisis requires."
In the end, Hyde himself went along with two right-wing amendments to the package regarding the bill's endorsement of the so-called "ABC" strategy (abstinence, being faithful, and condoms) prevention strategy. One permits funding to go to religious groups that do not provide information about condoms out of "moral or religious objection." The other requires that one third of all the money in the bill targeted at prevention be used to encourage abstinence in sexual relations. Some groups strongly objected to these amendments, suggesting that they would discourage the use of condoms. "A lopsided emphasis on abstinence is irresponsible," said Sally Ethelston of Population Action International. "Efforts to prioritize the 'A' or 'B' to the exclusion of the 'C' will only make condoms less accessible to those who need them most."
Will Resources Match the Rhetoric?
Overall, however, anti-AIDS groups said they were pleased about the House's strong approval of the bill. "This is a remarkable and historic day in the fight against AIDS," said Nils Daulaire, president of the Global Health Council (GHC). "The United States is now showing its global leadership on this issue."
Activists are hoping that, if the money is actually appropriated, it will significantly boost the Global Fund, which is designed to act swiftly on funding proposals and reduce the administrative burden on recipients caused by the reporting requirements of multiple donors. The Fund's management has estimated that it will need at least $7 billion over the next two years just to keep pace with demand.
Booker said Thursday after the vote that his group and others will still push for more U.S. contributions to the Fund, as well as other measures that would strengthen the ability of African governments to contain the disease. "Africa's illegitimate debts should be canceled, enabling governments to spend money on health care instead of debt repayments," he said. "And the White House must break with the pharmaceutical industry and support African countries' access to cheaper, generic anti-retroviral drugs." In addition, he said, Bush's own remarks about the urgent nature of the disease should justify providing more money already in this fiscal year to the Global Fund and the anti-AIDS fight. "After all, the Bush administration secured $79 billion in a supplemental (appropriation) for war in Iraq."
He cited Powell's interview in this week's edition of U.S. News and World Report in which Powell said, "The greatest weapon of mass destruction today on the face of the Earth is HIV, and it is a destroyer of people, families, nations, societies, and hopes in the poorest parts of the world, and it is spreading." "The White House is still failing to match rhetoric with resources," Booker said.