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BioM: Johnson, Renata
Contact: Crystal Wendt
Surnames: Johsnon, Lynn, Schall, Loughead, Mews, Oestriech
----Sources: Scrap book one: by Elsa Lange Hardrath & Dorthaleen Edwards Hardrath
Contributed by Halbert "Bud" Hardrath
At a 2 o'clock ceremony on Saturday afternoon, in the Methodist Church at Unity, Miss Renate Johnson, Unity, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carl I. Johnson, Colby, became the bride of Gordon Lynn Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Lynn, Unity. The Rev. Harvey Schall was the officiator.
During the services, Miss Rae Ann Loughead sang "I Love You Truly." She was accompanied by Mrs. Tom Loughead.
The bride chose a white floor length gown of lace over satin, for her wedding. The long sleeves tapered to points at the wrists. A tiny crown secured her finger-tip veil. Roses and carnations made up her bouquet.
Bridal attendants were Miss Barbara Johnson, sister of the bride, maid of honor; and Mrs. Levi Mews, Milwaukee, Miss Caroline Oestriech, Loyal, bridesmaids. They were gowned alike in blue, orchid and yellow floor-length dresses of net and lace. Each wore a floral headpiece to match her dress. Their bouquets were made up of roses, and pink and white carnations.
Russel Lynn, a brother of the groom, Reid Johnson, a brother of the bride, Unity, and Levi Mews, Milwaukee, were the groomsmen.
Eighty-five guests were present at a reception at the Legion Hall at 2:30 o'clock, and at a dinner in the church basement at 4:30 o'clock. Peonies and roses were used for decorations.
The new Mr. and Mrs. Lynn are making their home in Milwaukee.


This is YOUR illusion, this liquid freedom.
This is YOUR purpose – and it's YOURS for a reason.
they mark your path to follow.
Will you allow your potential to lead?
and create that musical love from beyond your soul.
and make it your best.
because that's WHO you will find.
that's WHY you made it this far.
It's time now to believe in SOMETHING.
Take THIS time to believe in yourself.
The bulk of my writings sit under the four main categories above and arise either from experience, or lack thereof: and between both I find an unforgiving void that calls to me in a language I am yet to decipher.
My poetry often doesn't rhyme, but tells a story; most of it coming from a place of loneliness and longing, with an outpouring of my desire for love and completion.
I am piscean-esque . . .


text:
Zealandia (Karori Sanctuary)
(1st page) Directions/Transport Site map Birds found here Photos / Images Reviews/Trip reports
Link to:
Photograph:
In spite of it having been called the most ambitious conservation project in the country, the most surprising thing about the Zealandia (Karori Sanctuary) in the old Karori water reservoir valley in the heart of Wellington is that there seems to be little effort to emulate the project anywhere else in the country. Many districts throughout the country have a bush covered water reservoir catchment which would seem to be ideal to convert to a wildlife sanctuary but for some reason Wellington's example has not been followed.
In 1992 a proposal to establish a secure native wildlife sanctuary in the Karori Reservoir Valley was made by James Lynch, then Chairman of the Wellington branch of the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society. It was proposed that the valley be enclosed by a predator fence — deemed necessary because of its proximity to a major population area with all its attendant pests — and developed as a premier conservation site with educational, research, recreational and tourism benefits. The proposal was presented to Wellington conservation and natural science organisations, the Department of Conservation, Wellington Regional Council and the Wellington City Council, who all agreed the proposal was worth investigating. The WRC and WCC then agreed to fund a feasibility study.
The Sanctuary Steering Committee received approval for the formation of the Trust and development of a management plan from the Wellington City Council in December 1994 after public consultations showed 90% of the local community supported the use of the valley as a sanctuary. The Karori Wildlife Sanctuary Trust was officially launched In July 1995.
The rest is history, with the Trust well on the way to achieving their vision of an island in the middle of Wellington, where predators and pests have been eradicated, teeming with birds and wildlife, a place accessible and enjoyed by all; a place of rest and peace where one can once again be in touch with New Zealand's unique natural heritage.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Fraud blog: Fundamentally Honest
Justice Committee calls on government to revolutionise the way we fight fraud
This article was authored by Francesca Riley, Trainee Solicitor, Manchester.
The Justice Committee has recently published a report putting pressure on the government to make general and extensive change to every aspect of how fraud offences are dealt with.
The report highlights some of the problems in the current system, such as:
Fraud offences account for 40% of all crime committed in the UK but only 2% of police funding is dedicated to combatting it.
An estimated 4.6 million fraud offences take place each year however only 7,607 defendants were prosecuted for fraud in 2021.
If the approach to fraud is not revolutionised now, the report estimates a further 25% growth in these crimes.
There is a huge disparity in the amount of fraud offences there are to investigate, and the resources allocated to it.
Out of over 800,000 reports made to ActionFraud and Cifas in 2020/2021, only 7% of them were investigated further.
Out of 20,000 additional police officers to be recruited by 2023, less than 2% of them will be dedicated fraud officers.
Additionally, fraud statistics are collected centrally by ActionFraud as opposed to regionally from police forces as with other crimes. This means it is not possible to accurately obtain localised data to allow for monitoring. This results in fraud offences not being prioritised by forces, who remain under-resourced, as they are not held accountable for it.
While 84.9% of fraud cases result in a conviction, the cases that actually reach trial account for 0.75% of those reported each year.
The cases pursued by the CPS are limited to those which have been investigated by the police who, as stated earlier, are facing issues with a lack of prioritisation and resources. The amount of disclosure involved in a fraud case often means they are resource heavy.
The justice system, in its current form, is "ill-equipped" in the fight against fraud. 75% of fraud crimes prosecuted by the CPS have an international element.
The societal shift, caused by COVID-19, to an increased reliance on online technology has inadvertently created an environment where criminals are able to commit fraud "at scale with ease, speed and anonymity". The risk to individuals is further increased by the fact that cyber-crimes can be perpetrated against UK nationals from anywhere in the world.
The Justice Committee stress the need for a system of prevention and enforcement that is as resilient and adaptable as the perpetrators. Other recommendations aim to provide more comprehensive support to victims through the reinvention of ActionFraud, create specific economic courts for fraud cases to be heard in and allocating sufficient funding and resourcing for police. The committee are showing their commitment to combatting fraud by continuing their investigation by interviewing senior members of the National Crime Agency and Home Office as well as issuing a call for evidence to the general public
The report serves as a warning to the government of the current landscape of the fraud system and how it is vital that action is taken to enact widespread change immediately or the country will continue to see an exponential increase in fraud cases.
The Fundamentally Honest view
We previously looked at the likely effect of the cost of living crisis on fraud in our recent blog article.
History tells us that it is inevitable that fraud will increase if, as predicted, the UK falls into recession shortly. In the absence of significance change, fraudsters will be able to continue to operate largely with impunity.
In the meantime, those of us engaged in the detection and prevention of fraud will need to do our part to disincentive fraud by ensuring it does not pay. The insurance industry has long shouldered the burden of tackling insurance fraud, for example setting up and funding IFED in collaboration with the City of London Police (the history of which we explored in our earlier blog article).
With significant reform and investment unlikely to be forthcoming in the short-term at least, the industry will have to continue to look within to protect its customers from fraud.
Read other items in Personal Injury Brief – December 2022
Fundamentally Honest blog
More from the blog...
Court of Appeal provides further guidance on mixed injury cases, but what does this mean for fraud practitioners?
Cost of living … a looming fraud crisis?
Opportunistic claimant attempts to defraud the public purse – a reminder of the benefits of fraud strategies
Official Injury Claim and fraud – searching for the truth
No further reform in motor claims
Claims creep is on the rise: significant defendant savings at Liverpool County Court
Palmer v Mantas and Liverpool Victoria Insurance – A reminder of the hurdles to be jumped by a defendant seeking to prove a claimant is fundamentally dishonest
Changes to the Highway Code – opportunity knocks for fraudsters?
Happy birthday IFED at 10
Fraudulent fire and water insurance claims – on an upward trajectory?
Fraud and surge events: the dangers when there is a need for speed
The fundamentally dishonest claim and improper conduct - are wasted costs applications on the rise?
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Dermajuv Review: How Efficient and Harmless is it?
Tired of your saggy neck skin? Dermajuv Neck Restoration Cream aims to end that. By hydrating, it gives your skin a fresh look. Dermajuv accomplishes this with the use of 5 main ingredients. Dermajuv is a top-tier brand that will solve your skin woes caused by aging.
Using five active components, Dermajuv brings out a younger-looking neck skin with it looking toned and softer. One of the biggest dilemmas of women in their crucial age is the appearance of lines and wrinkles on the neck. Matrixyl, a component in this product, works to fight against these deep-seated wrinkles. This copper peptide is potent because it causes reversal that lessens and eliminates wrinkles, as well as restores collagen for fresher skin. Sesaflash, meanwhile, works to make a remarkable lift to the skin. By default, it stretches and flattens skin surface causing wrinkles to ultimately disappear. The stem cells aid in the natural healing of the affected skin while the Hyaluronic Acid and Shea Butter facilitate in the restoration of the natural toning and moisturizing qualities of the skin.
If you check the product's official site, you'll learn that Dermajuv has promotions and other special offers. It also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. You'll also see personal feedbacks about the product, in addition to before and after pictures showing that Dermajuv really works.
Even though several individuals think that the only solution for saggy neck is surgery, Dermajuv Neck Restoration cream shows otherwise, that there's a cheaper and safer substitute to surgery. This cream ensures skin restoration on the neck area. If it fails, you get your money back. The positive feedbacks and the photographs in its official site are affirmation that several users believe in this product. The only issue with Dermajuv Neck Restoration Cream is that it cannot be applied on the décolleté part while there are multiple neck creams that can also be used in the lower part of the neck up to the chest area. Unless your only concern is your sagging neck, then Dermajuv will work. If not, you'll have to consider something else.


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RTÉ's Editorial Standards Board finds New Year's Eve sketch did not meet standards
In a statemen, RTÉ acknowledged that the mock report had caused offense and will remove the sketch from the online player. File Picture
Thu, 07 Jan, 2021 - 16:02
Ciarán Sunderland and Steven Heaney
RTÉ's Editorial Standards Board has found a sketch that aired on RTÉ's New Year's Eve show does not comply with RTÉ's own standards, and broader regulations and will be removed from RTÉ Player.
Speaking about the decision, Dee Forbes, the Director General of RTÉ said the broadcaster accepts the findings of the Editorial Standards Board and has apologised on behalf of the network.
We accept the findings of the Editorial Standards Board that this sketch was not compliant with our own guidelines or with our obligations under the relevant codes.
"On behalf of RTÉ, I fully apologise for that. We will now review the processes involved and engage constructively with the BAI," she said.
The programme has remained available on the RTÉ Player with a warning, despite an apology from the broadcaster and calls for it to be removed.
The Editorial Standards Board found the sketch did not comply with two provisions:
The provisions of Section 39 (1) (d) of the Broadcasting Act 2009 and the BAI Code of Programme Standards in relation to material that causes "undue offence";
The provision of Principle 5 in the above Code (Respect for Persons and Groups in Society) regarding "due respect" for religious beliefs.
The board also found the sketch did not comply with the provision in the RTÉ Journalism and Content Guidelines regarding sensitivity to people's religious beliefs.
Since the findings of the board, the broadcaster has decided to make a voluntary disclosure of non-compliance to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) and engage with the authority in this process.
The network is to request the Editorial Standards Board to review the processes involved in the broadcast of the sketch and will also carry an apology and public statement with due prominence acknowledging the sketch did not meet editorial standards.
RTÉ has said the sketch is intended as satire and described the comedy genre as an important of their offering to their audience.
A statement from the broadcaster said: "It is RTÉ's view that satire is an important part of the offering to our audience.
However, satire, no more than any other aspect of our output, must adhere to our own standards and the standards set out in the Broadcasting Act 2009 and the BAI Codes.
RTÉ has previously apologised for airing the mocked-up news report as part of its New Year's Eve programming.
The sketch, created by Waterford Whispers News, featured former RTÉ reporter Aengus Mac Grianna reading a report explaining that god had been arrested over "sexual harassment scandals."
Archbishop Eamon Martin criticised the sketch after it was aired. File picture.
In the piece, Aengus Mac Grianna reads: "The five-billion-year-old stood accused of forcing himself on a young middle-eastern migrant and allegedly impregnating her against her will, before being sentenced to two years in prison, with the last 24 months suspended."
A man dressed as God is seen being led away by a member of the gardaí, and is heard shouting "It was 2,000 years ago."
The former news broadcaster Aengus Mac Grianna has since apologised for his part in the sketch.
It is understood that more than 4,750 complaints were lodged with the broadcaster over the piece.
Parents and school staff conflicted about a return to class
'Voyeuristic' sharing of information online could prejudice a fair trial
Asteroid bigger than Carrauntoohil to soar past Earth tonight
Donnelly: Covid restrictions could be lifted as early as this weekend
blasphemyPlace: Republic of Ireland
Covid-19: Further 11,683 confirmed cases, 979 in hospital and 93 in ICU
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Fergus Finlay
Book Notice


Welcome to a modern century-old hotel, with its back to the city and its front pointing towards a beautiful string of lakes. The style is antique with roots dating all the way back to 1882, yet the facilities are all so modern and the welcome is so warm and genuine, that you will immediately feel right at home.
Next to waterside and city center. Easy to locate, easy to drive to, easy to park. Buround the lakes, our location cannot be more convenient. The hotel is 11 km from airport.


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Knowledge. Experience. Commitment.
A career of 30 years in community colleges as a Teacher, Dean, President and Chancellor.
Special Trustee, Compton Community College District
Chancellor, Los Angeles Community College District
Senior Vice Chancellor, Los Angeles Community College District
President, College of San Matteo
Dean, Business/Computer Systems Division, DeAnza College
Faculty Member, DeAnza College
Vice Chancellor and General Counsel, Foothill-DeAnza Community College District
General Counsel, Foothill-DeAnza Community College District
State University Counsel, California State University
(1974-197
Member of Our Community
Peter Landsberger has lived in Los Altos since 1978, the year he was appointed Foothill-DeAnza's first General Counsel. Over time his duties expanded and in 1983 he was promoted to Vice Chancellor of the district, serving as the Chancellor's chief deputy and executive in charge of all district office operations.
Peter is currently Vice President of the Foothill-De Anza Board of Trustees. He is also a member of the board of directors of the Foothill De Anza Foundation, the Community School of Music and Arts in Mountain View, and UNITE-LA, an education related non-profit organization in Los Angeles. Previously he served on the board of directors of the SVO Foundation in San Jose.
Peter's wife, Claire Noonan, retired after more than 25 years of service as a classroom teacher for the San Jose Unified School District. Peter and Claire have two daughters. Sarah is an elementary school teacher in the Palo Alto Unified School District, and Anne works for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art as a development professional.
Harvard Negotiation Project, Harvard Law School, 1989
Institute for Educational Management, Harvard Graduate School of Education, 1986
J.D., University of California, Berkeley, 1973
A.B., University of California, Berkeley, 1969
A.A., Santa Monica College, 1967
Landsberger for Foothill-De Anza Trustee 2020, FPPC No. 1428134


On the 10th episode of The Bobby Darin Show, Bobby welcomed guests Leslie Uggams, Phyllis Diller and blues singer David Bromberg. Comedy highlights of the program included Bobby's Groucho impression, "The Neighborhood," "The Godmother" and "Dusty John Dustin."
Musical highlights included Bobby performing "Charade" and "Beyond the Sea." (NOTE: This is the same "Beyond the Sea" from the last Bobby Darin Show, but an edited version.) He also sang "Happy Together" with Leslie. The show ended with Bobby singing "Mack the Knife."


If you would like to attend the next WEM course, or wish to schedule a workshop for your studio or group, please send me an email!
This six-hour course is designed for performers, students and teachers who wish to help themselves and their students increase their awareness of the effective use of the body in playing and singing, with the goal of negating/preventing bad habits, remaining pain and injury–free, and making music in a joyful and easy manner for a lifetime.
Thanks so much for your bodymapping class at Providence College. I've been practicing what I learned in the class - esp. head balanced over the center. It's rewarding to play from a balanced state - the resulting freedom in playing, breathing, and phrasing is wonderful!
"I can't thank you enough for your guidance. I have really been working to discipline myself in a slow responsible way using the techniques that you shared. The results have been wonderful! Case in point: The ECSO did a performance of Ein Heldenleben this last week which as you know pushes the endurance of all the players on stage. Thanks to Body Mapping, I was never at my limit this week and felt in total control of my physiology. Air efficiency was off the charts in the big passages, and I felt very confident on the pianissimo entrances, and long sustained soft chordal sections. If I felt any tension creeping-in I worked on quieting and resetting my joints and musculature. I have been talking you up quite a bit lately because people have been noticing a difference in my playing. I tell them I owe it all to Mapping (and being disciplined in adapting responsibly) I am a believer!"


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Q: Operand should contain 1 column(s) MySQL does anyone knows what's going on with this query please ?. What I am trying to do is if courseID in elective_modules table doesn't exist in group_elective_modules table, then print all  exit in group_elective_modules. But I keep getting the error Operand should contain 1 column(s)
Here is my query
$alternativeEQuery =
"SELECT elective_modules.courseID,elective_modules.yr
 FROM elective_modules
 WHERE elective_modules.yr = '$year1'
 AND elective_modules.courseID
 NOT IN
     (SELECT group_elective_modules.moduleID,group_elective_modules.courseName
 FROM group_elective_modules
 WHERE group_elective_modules.courseName = '$courseTitle'
 AND elective_modules.courseID = group_elective_modules.moduleID)";

$alternativeEResult = mysql_query($alternativeEQuery) or die($alternativeEQuery."

".mysql_error());

A: You can't have two columns in the subquery here:
(SELECT group_elective_modules.moduleID,group_elective_modules.courseName
 FROM group_elective_modules
 WHERE group_elective_modules.courseName = '$courseTitle'
 AND elective_modules.courseID = group_elective_modules.moduleID)

Either use the right one, or add in a second not in clause and use the other column name there.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


There was significant damage and disruption in the transport and energy sectors across Ireland caused by yesterday's storm.
This is according to Sean Hogan, chairman of the National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG), who spoke on the impact of yesterday's storm at a briefing in Dublin this afternoon.
He described the storm as "extraordinary", one of the worst to hit Ireland since 1991. "We have been assembling the impact of yesterday's extraordinary storm, which started yesterday morning," Hogan said. "Even in the winter of storms that we have had, this has been the most extreme event so far.
An ESB official outlined there was significant damage to its communication infrastructure and this morning more than 190,000 homes and businesses remained without supply.
As part of the emergency response today, crews from Northern Ireland Electricity will join ESB Networks staff to assist in the restoration effort. Also he outlined that ESB Networks crews have been drafted to the worst-effective areas from all over the country and are already assisting in the repair work.
At the briefing ESB advised it could take a number of days to restore power to all areas as some of the infrastructure is in remote areas and access problems may hinder them.
The NECG said it also remains very concerned that people stay safe, particularly people without power. "These are very difficulties situations for people. We are also asking people to check in on vulnerable areas, particularly in areas without power.
"Over the next few days will be a severe test of reliance of households that have been affected," Hogan added.
In terms of swollen rivers, the NECG said inland flooding in the Munster region still remains a concern. "Fortunately there has been some relief, the water levels have receded a bit, but it is something we are watching," he said.
Asked specifically about the impact of the storm on farmlands across the country, the NECG chairman said it was significant and he praised the efforts of farmers in rural communities.
"There has been very significant impacts in terms of damage to trees and farmland. Isolated roads would be our main concern at the moment." He also praised the resilience of rural communities across Ireland.
Speaking at the briefing, Environment Minister Phil Hogan paid tribute to frontline workers, who "had gone beyond the call of duty in very difficult circumstances".
Met Eireann also outlined its forecast for the coming days.
Met Eireann forecasts a further change in the weather. "We have another area of low pressure coming in across Ireland tomorrow. Now it is not going to be another full-blown storm, but it is going to be wet and windy weather tomorrow in much of Munster and Leinster. We will be issuing weather warnings, certainly yellow, probably orange for Cork, Waterford, Wexford, Kilkenny, Carlow, Wicklow for a forecast of 20-30ml of rain and easterly gale force winds.
Widespread disruption over night, but is much improved this morning, Iarnrod Eireann deployed 400 staff on the ground, and all bar 4 services have been restored.
260,000 homes had lost power yesterday, predominately in the South, South West and South East, this number had been reduced to 190,000 by the end of the day. ESB are prioritising critical infrastructure, such as water supplies which had been badly impacted.
10% – 12% loss of coverage mainly in South West, again these facilities are being prioritised to get these up and running, Eircom estimate that they will restore service to 30-60,000 customers by the end of the day.
Saw an increase of calls from the normal 6,000 to 12,000 incidents yesterday, and the number of operators on call was doubled.
Kilkenny initiated their major emergency plan during the day; this was stood down at 7pm yesterday evening.
St Luke' hospital had suffered a loss of power, but this is now back up and running, there are no other major incidents to report.
No reports of injuries to pupils or staff. 38 schools are closed in Kerry today, with 14 in Clare and 12 in Limerick also closed.


text:
Technophobia
Tags: bureaucratic collectivism, Carroll W. Pursell Jr., conservative enlightenment, Dwight Eisenhower farewell address, expertise, history of technology, military industrial complex, Milton Friedman, moderate conservativism, North Korean H-Bomb test, progressivism, robots, technophobia, United Nations
Damian Gordon slideshow image
(Update 1-8-16: This is NOT an anti-religion blog. My point is that secular, pluralistic societies are notorious for undermining the claims of particular religions.)
The agitated response to the claim by N. Korea that it had tested an H-Bomb reminded me of Eisenhower's seminal 1961 farewell speech warning of a [godless] "military-industrial complex." The heart of progressivism lies in this warning: that the Bomb unleashed powers that heretofore were reserved for the deity. The (moderate conservative) remedy is love in the service of international understanding, i.e., multiculturalism, cultural relativism, and the prophetic vision of Woodrow Wilson that eventuated in the United Nations (preceded by the League of Nations).
That is the overarching message of Carroll W. Pursell Jr.'s Readings in Technology and American Life (Oxford UP paperback, 1969). The running theme in this solely "progressive" roundup of source readings was prefigured by historian Friedrich Meinecke's explanation for the rise of Hitler: technology, unharnessed by the moderating power of religion, would raise a race of monster technicians from the lower orders, unimpressed by elite leadership. (The German historian's analysis is found here: https://clarespark.com/2010/04/12/multiculturalismethnopluralism-in-the-mid-20th-century/.)
Make no mistake: Pursell is a devoted progressive, hence not hostile to the rule of experts (a salutary effect of professionalization in the applied sciences): experts who would be motivated by such dodgy and indefinite notions as a knowable "public interest," the planning state, and "service" (a.k.a. "duty"). What Pursell is pitching is Conservative Enlightenment in the service of Big Government. (Radical Enlightenment leads to free market economics, not bureaucratic collectivism. See https://clarespark.com/2015/12/29/milton-friedmans-capitalism-and-freedom-1962/.)
Where would godless technology lead in a secularizing society? To the rule of robots with selected human features? If we feel ourselves turning into mindless machines, perhaps we should look to the apparent benefits of conformity to rules handed down by "experts," not to advances in our particular understanding of the material world we inhabit.
Culture warriors and the Enlightenment
Tags: American Constitution, Bill O'Reilly, conservative enlightenment, culture wars, Enlightenment, Freud For Historians, Immanuel Kant, Peter Gay, Platonic Guardians, radical Enlightenment, secular progressives, Zeitgeist
[My most comprehensive treatment of this vexed subject is here: https://clarespark.com/2010/01/02/jottings-on-the-culture-wars-both-sides-are-wrong/.]
Bill O'Reilly, the most popular history writer in America today and the dominant draw in cable news, has announced to his millions of viewers that he will accelerate his assault on "secular-progressives" and implied that he expects to win the culture wars for "traditionalists" like himself. He has started his campaign because he believes that the breakdown in family structure (i.e. the absent father in minority and other poor families) is the primary cause of dependency on the redistributionist welfare state.
What O'Reilly fails to see is that many, if not all, of his secular progressive enemies are as much committed to the organic society as is he, for they are often moderate men given to "compromise," and thus healers of every conceivable rift in the "body politic."
As I have demonstrated on this website and in my book on the Melville Revival, there was not only one Enlightenment, but two streams of thought contributing to what O'Reilly calls "secular progressivism." One stream watered the New Deal, while the other fed the notions of free market capitalism as explicated by Hayek and the Friedmans, to name a few.
Take Peter Gay (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Gay) , whose volumes on the Enlightenment energized the fields of cultural history, social history, and the history of medicine, sub-fields of history that lean toward the organic society (the class collaboration furthered by the New Deal and other conservative reformers), though that is not generally seen, as these academics are a tightly knit group that fends off "mechanical materialist" intruders, who deny, say, the notion of Zeitgeist as formulated by such counter-Enlightenment figures as Herder and other German Romantics. And yet in his Freud For Historians (Oxford UP, 1985), Gay distances himself from such mystical formulations as Zeitgeist.
Here is what Peter Gay wrote in the second volume of his massive tome The Enlightenment: An Interpretation Vol.II: The Science of Freedom (Knopf, 1969):
"There was nothing new in the philosophes' perception that society is a fabric with interdependent, interacting parts:* what they did that was new was to take this perception as a justification for their own importance. After all, if progress is infectious, then to teach truth, expose error, and inculcate confidence—and all this, of course, the philosophes were sure they were doing—was to spread reason and shed light over large areas, even in unsuspected places. Thus the philosophes enlisted the enlightened atmosphere of their day in the service of their movement." (p.25, "The Spirit of the Age, " my emph.)
I quote Peter Gay because I want to distinguish between what I call the Conservative Enlightenment and the (materialist) Radical Enlightenment. The former type is covertly Burkean, emphasizing continuities with the past through "interdependence" and (implied) deference to Platonic Guardians, while the latter was a rupture with the past. (See https://clarespark.com/2010/02/10/a-brooding-meditation-on-intimacy-and-distance/.) The American Constitution was one such rupture, especially as its original favoritism toward white males was rectified by the antislavery and voting rights for women amendments.
What is at stake in these competing notions of Enlightenment is the conception of the autonomous individual, capable of standing apart from passions, from families, from tribal associations, to read the world (reality) and hence to make decisions as an independent citizen. Such a one can throw off the conception of "national character" or group mind that [collectivist] Peter Gay supports through his rhetoric and his reverence for "the secular social conscience" (p.39), Kant and other German thinkers. The notion of Zeitgeist is imaginary, like the widely used term "cultural climate," or, to use Peter Gay's scientistic language "enlightened atmosphere."
Today, the cultural climate that alarms Bill O'Reilly (e.g. the "culture of violence") has taken on the agency once attributed to the individual. But such culturalist formulations go well with the corporatist liberal/communist notion of "social engineering." Fix the "cultural climate," bring back the moderate, healing good father (Lincoln, JFK, O'Reilly), and such events as the Newtown massacre will end, and we shall indeed live to see the best of all possible worlds.
*Compare Gay's formulation to that of Joyce Appleby, Margaret Jacob, and Lynn Hunt: "Historians cannot comprehend all the variables bombarding a single event. Human beings participate in a dense circuitry of interacting systems, from those that regulate their bodily functions to the ones that undergird their intellectual curiosity and emotional responses. A full explanation of an event would have to take into consideration the full range of systematic reactions. Not ever doing that, history-writing implicitly begins by concentrating on those aspects of an event deemed most relevant to the inquiry." (From Telling the Truth in History, Norton, 1994, p.253)
Prometheus Bound, but good
Tags: conservative enlightenment, culture wars, dialectical materialism, Hegel, Herman Melville, Hunting Captain Ahab, materialism, progressivism, Prometheus, radical Enlightenment, wizard of oz
This blog responds to a heated interchange this last week over whether Republicans or Democrats were more "anti-science." I complained bitterly about the foolish framing of the question, but since few non-scientists may understand my own indignation, I thought I had better explain.
There is no such thing as a "science" that encompasses all the worldly, materialist efforts to grasp the facts of life and death, thence to intervene to enhance life and forestall death. What the electorate is debating is the power of ultraconservative evangelical Protestants and Catholics to roll back the achievements (or, in their views, atrocities) of the modern world, a modernity that is held responsible for decadence and mass death, owing to the mistaken notions of progress and "enlightenment;" a secular wasteland that is gleefully responsible for "the death of God," or, failing that, banishing Christian symbols from public space. Such a dive into the muck betrays "life" itself. In other words, the question regarding "anti-science" serves culture warriors in both political parties and is intrinsic to the current polarization.
Scientism versus science. In my book Hunting Captain Ahab: Psychological Warfare and the Melville Revival, I made a distinction between the Radical and Conservative Enlightenments. The Radical Enlightenment (a 16th century development that educated and raised the morale of "the lower orders") was co-opted by anxious elites fearing the leveling tendencies of science and its alleged worship of the Goddess of Reason. These "moderate conservative" elites formed the progressive movement, and used "scientific management" to forestall servile revolts, arguing that free markets, left unregulated, would generate mobs who would abolish private property tout court. Similarly, social psychology was harnessed to the New Deal, using statistics and other scientistic (i.e., pretending to scientific method) strategies to get a consensus behind the ever more powerful federal government and the authority of the presidency. I call this co-opting of "science" the Conservative Enlightenment. The social bonds it advocates are based on mystical bonds between leaders and the led, not upon the convergence of real interests within groups. Such are the methods espoused by the troops of the allegedly "pro-science" Democratic Party.
Science versus Magic. Scientific method, i.e., relying on material evidence and following facts wherever they lead, does not come naturally to a growing child. As an infant and toddler, and even into adolescence, magical thinking will dominate the psyche. Seeing "things as they are" may be fraught with fear, pain, and conflict. In my own examination of Herman Melville's writing, I have seen the anguish with which the idealizations of childhood are relinquished. His kaleidoscopic imagination, that constantly reconfigures the world we think we see, so apparent to readers who have gone that route themselves, is generally suppressed in the scholarship, or dismissed as "incoherence," or as a pre-Freudianism that is easily dismissed as bogus, carnal, and hence "Jewish." Melville himself never resolved his inner war between science and religion, at times demonizing his "dark" Promethean characters, including "Margoth" an apostate secular Jew, who bears comparison with Twain's Yankee.
Dialectical materialism versus materialism. Realism and naturalism in the arts have gotten a bad rap because of their association with the marxiste notion of dialectical materialism. The latter is a form of Hegelianism that banishes the real world in favor of an unalterable march toward communism/the reign of Spirit, a march supposedly led by the politically-conscious working class, but in practice, guided by intellectuals. These same intellectuals decry (undialectical) "materialism" as atomization and hyper-individualism of the most hateful "bourgeois" variety. I have been called that atomic bomb by more than one Leninist. As culture critics, they purportedly espouse "realism," which for them consists of unveiling the mystifications of the bourgeoisie, pulling back the curtain to expose exploited masses and wily magicians in the urbanized land of Oz. Where these mystical anti-mystics go wrong is in their condemnation of the Promethean bourgeoisie, a class that relies on science and technology to improve the world and the life chances of its inhabitants.
Science is not dogma, and is constantly self-correcting in the collective criticism of the community of scientists (unless they are bought off by patronage). But that is not the view of those relativists who now study the history of science in order to discredit is as "essentially, a swindle." (See https://clarespark.com/2010/02/10/a-brooding-meditation-on-intimacy-and-distance/ or https://clarespark.com/2010/01/03/this-witch-is-not-for-burning-science-as-magic/.)
In the world of true science, quacks are driven out, and commonly held beliefs subject to alteration in the face of new evidence. Would that our political culture were as discriminating in extruding frauds.


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Metrobus Driver Helps Slumped-Over Taxi Driver Near Union Station
By Juliana Valencia and Iris Vukmanovic	• Published March 5, 2020 • Updated on March 6, 2020 at 9:55 am
A Metrobus driver leaped into action when he saw a taxi driver slumped over the wheel in the middle of Massachusetts Avenue near Union Station Tuesday evening.
Metrobus driver Tim Hudson was driving his bus at about 6:45 p.m. when he looked over and saw the taxi driver slumped over in his car, with saliva coming out of his mouth.
It appeared the taxi driver had accidentally hit multiple parked cars off Columbus Circle before stopping on Massachusetts Avenue. No one had noticed the driver for a couple minutes. So Hudson pulled over to help.
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"The door, because of the accident, wouldn't open, so I literally had to use all of my strength to rip the door open, and I got into the vehicle to shake on the guy and he wasn't responsive at all," Hudson said.
The bus driver ran back to the bus to tell passengers what had happened and called 911. Dispatch told Hudson he would need to get the man out of the car and perform CPR while waiting for an EMS crew to arrive.
"I informed her I've never done CPR, so then I turn to some of the other pedestrians and call for help," Hudson said.
Another bystander joined Hudson to pull the man out of the taxi, but as they started to take him out of the car, the vehicle began to move.
"So I step over and apply the brake to put the car in park. So thank God it didn't do no damage to him," Hudson said.
Hudson began CPR with the help of the dispatcher on the phone in the middle of the road as cars drove past.
"He was a big guy and that's all dead weight, so the furthest where we could get him was where he ended up once the car started moving," he said.
A minute and a half later, EMS arrived and took the driver to the hospital in critical condition, according to DC Fire and EMS. Metro said the man is still hospitalized.
"For me it was about being in the right place at the right time and I knew God had me there for a reason," Hudson said.
Hudson said he hopes to meet the man once he recovers and plans on taking a CPR class provided to employees by Metro.
taxi driverCPRMETROBUS DRIVER


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Home » RoadOne acquires The Transporter, Inc., continues U.S. Southwest expansion
RoadOne acquires The Transporter, Inc., continues U.S. Southwest expansion
Randolph, Massachusetts, January 17, 2023 - RoadOne IntermodaLogistics, a single source intermodal, warehouse and logistics services company, announces today the acquisition of The Transporter, Inc. ("Transporter"), a leading regional intermodal service provider with office locations in Houston, Dallas and Laredo, Texas. With this acquisition, RoadOne continues building out its commitment to the U.S. Southwest region. Since November 2022, RoadOne has announced the addition of a new Houston branch office and the transition into a 480,000 sq. ft. transload facility, located in the overweight corridor in Pasadena and less than 5 miles from the port.
Transporter is one of the largest and most preferred operators in Texas with over 150 drivers and a broad range of logistics services. The company provides local and over the road solutions, drayage, reefer, hazmat, bonded, dry van and flatbed services, an in-house brokerage service and secure container yards in Houston and Dallas. The company will now be known as Transporter IntermodaLogistics, a division of RoadOne.
Russ Cook, President, founded Transporter in 1988, and will retire from the business after over 34 years serving shippers and logistics providers. His two sons, Jeff Ebel, VP of Operations, and Greg Cook, VP of Sales, will remain with the company as Vice Presidents running the day-to-day operations of Transporter IntermodaLogistics and as shareholders in RoadOne.
"The Transporter team is a perfect match for RoadOne. Their focus on strong customer relationships is 100% in line with our company beliefs and commitment to the industry. The U.S. Southwest is an important market, especially as we see container volumes increase in the Gulf. We welcome Transporter to the RoadOne family of companies," said Ken Kellaway, President & CEO at RoadOne IntermodaLogistics.
Russ Cook, founder of Transporter said, "I am extremely pleased to have Transporter join the RoadOne organization. With my sons at the helm, I know the company will continue to grow and prosper, especially now backed by RoadOne's national network and array of logistics, drayage and distribution resources. Our customers and drivers are in good hands and will continue to be well taken care of into the future."
Ridgemont Equity Partners, a middle market private equity firm, recently announced the recapitalization of RoadOne, alongside RoadOne's co-founders and Nonantum Capital Partners. This transaction provides RoadOne with significant capital for growth to support strategic acquisitions and continued investment in technology and platform operations.
http://roadone.com
Intermodal Logistics Services Trucking
KEYWORDS RoadOne IntermodaLogistics
Barcoding, Inc. Acquires Danforth Systems, LLC to Increase Southwest Presence and RFID Capabilities
Cimcorp Continues Global Expansion with U.S. Office Relocation
RoadOne IntermodaLogistics Acquires Savannah-based Crown Transportation


There are exactly seven days left in the month of June. After that, there are exactly six months left in the year 2010--but I'm getting ahead of myself. Time just keeps on ticking into the future, like it or not. I don't think there's anyone north of the equator that wants June to be over. The month is a gift of sunshine, blossoms, freedom, and golden evenings. School is out, play is in. And yet, in one week, playful June will be replaced with patriotic July. It's no reason to pout, except that I know that July will go by just ask quickly as June has gone. Life feels like a great big circle, going round and round, and you're tempted to think since there will always be another June, that nothing is really changing. But look again-the kids are growing faster than the garden corn, and the Quiet Man's hair is getting grayer, and my knees made a cracking sound when I got out of bed this morning. Time's a circle that's not only spinning but rolling forward, and darn it, if I can't stop it, I'm at least going to drink it in. So here's a new sipper that looks like a June sunset, and tastes like a sweet and fizzy flower. I spotted it in Better Homes and Gardens and the name intrigued me. June Bug. You've got a week to stir one up. (Although, you could just rename it YearRound Bug and drink it whenever you please.) And while time might be moving too quickly for me, it's moving too slowly for this little cowboy. He couldn't bear to have his beautiful, inviting June Bug just sitting there waiting to be photographed. A few minutes are an eternity at age seven. Normally, he just has to be patient. But not this time. June and life are too short. I snapped a couple of quick, sloppy shots, and then I sat down with my boy and we drank it all in. Together.
Blend in the blender. Divide into four cups. Add another scoop of sherbet to each cup. Do not waste time photographing. Enjoy.
Any juice would work, but some really sweet juices, like apple, might make it a bit too sweet.
Looks good. Cute picture of your son.
I can't wait to try a June Bug Mocktail. But until, I get to the market, I'll have to savor the month of June.
Oh, your beverage is lovely, and the name is divine! The best part is the June bugs are out here in my corner of Idaho. I think I will make some tonight for my little brood to enjoy while they are outside trying to catch them!
Yum, what a fun drink!!!


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Shaikh Fazal Bari
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Shaykh Fazal Bari is the founder of Hidaayah Institute. He grew up in Toronto, Canada & studied at the College of Hadith and Islamic Sciences in the University of Medinah and the University of the Prophet's Masjid (Peace be upon him).
His journey in seeking tradition knowledge started at a young age. Upon completing his studies in Engineering, he traveled abroad to pursue his passion for Islamic scholarship at the prestigious University of Medinah. There, he studied for over a decade under some of the most prominent scholars covering subjects including the Arabic language, Arabic Morphology, Aqeedah (Islamic Creed), Tafseer, Hadith (Prophetic Sciences), Islamic Jurisprudence and Philosophy. During that time he also obtained an A.A in Linguistics, a post graduate diploma in Education and certification in Islamic chaplaincy from the College of the Prophet's Masjid.
He has dedicated his time to lecturing, research, writing and working with many organizations both nationally and internationally. Currently, he resides in Texas with his wife and kids.
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Northern Ireland: Main parties win Assembly elections…
Daniel Waldron, Socialist Party (CWI Ireland), Belfast
But positive moves against sectarian politics
The campaign in the run-up to the Northern Ireland Assembly election was a dull and uneventful affair. The result has brought little over-all change. Yet there were significant signs that the growing alienation from sectarianism, austerity and backward social policies is beginning to find a positive expression, with left forces taking important steps forward.
Other than the usual sectarian squabbling, the five main parties which have until now made up the Assembly Executive, are fundamentally united when it comes to austerity and neoliberal economics.
Their policies have left one in five people in poverty, created mass youth unemployment, maintained sectarian division and denied LGBT equality and a woman's right to choose.
In the new Assembly, the forces of unionism and nationalism will continue to dominate, with the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin returned as the two largest parties.
However, the percentage vote share of all five main parties fell compared to 2011. The Green Party - non-sectarian, socially liberal and critical of austerity - took a step forward, tripling its vote and doubling its number of representatives to two.
People Before Profit (PBP) also won its first two Assembly seats. A young Belfast city councillor, Gerry Carroll, topped the poll in Sinn Féin's West Belfast heartland, with 23% of the vote, while veteran campaigner, Eamonn McCann, overcame the odds to take a seat in the Foyle constituency.
The PBP is connected to campaigns against cuts, raises the demand for socialist change and describes itself as 'neither Orange nor Green'.
This development shows significant numbers of workers and young people in these constituencies are rejecting the status quo in favour of a left alternative.
For the first time, the main parties in the Assembly will be challenged by anti-austerity ideas. People Before Profit's victories will stimulate debate about the alternative to austerity and sectarianism and give confidence to many that it is possible to win change.
However, as well as opportunities, there are potential pitfalls ahead. PBP - initiated by the Socialist Workers Party - is largely based in and orientated towards Catholic working class communities, which is often reflected in its language and the positions it takes on contentious issues, such as parades.Taking one-sided positions on such divisive issues could be damaging, and even cause setbacks, towards building a genuine anti-sectarian party representing the working class.
If the opportunity to build a new, socialist force which can break the stranglehold of sectarianism is to be seized, it is an essential pre-requisite that we unite Protestant and Catholic working class people and genuinely advocate independent working class and anti-sectarian positions on the difficult questions which divide our communities.
Labour Alternative vote a solid basis to build an anti-sectarian, left
The Socialist Party worked with other trade unionists and activists to lay down a marker for the kind of genuinely cross-community left which is needed by launching Labour Alternative.
The aim was to appeal to young people attracted to the politics of Jeremy Corbyn and to begin rebuilding Northern Ireland's historic anti-sectarian, labour tradition.
Our three candidates and our activists were drawn from both Protestant and Catholic backgrounds and campaigned actively in both communities.
Our combative approach in demanding LGBT equality, women's right to choose and our clear anti-austerity, socialist message (with posters asking that people "Don't vote for dinosaurs!") caught the imagination of many young people.
We got messages from dozens of people saying they had turned out to vote for the first time ever for Labour Alternative.
Our candidates won between 515 and 871 votes, almost 2,000, in total. In each constituency, we registered the largest vote for socialist, labour movement candidates in decades.
In two of the constituencies, these votes were won despite major campaigns by the Greens, where they were fighting for seats.
In South Belfast, Sean Burns beat everyone except the Executive parties and the Greens. These results are a solid basis upon which to build an anti-sectarian, left force in these areas and across Northern Ireland.
Courtney Robinson in East Belfast was the youngest candidate in the election at 18 years old. Our oldest candidate - Conor Sheridan in East Antrim - was just 24. Labour Alternative got little media attention, but one commentator referred to our candidates' "raw energy and passion", another to their "wide-eyed optimism"


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Dozens displaced after overnight fire at Crystal Lake apartment
Government research shows pot use in pregnancy has doubled among U.S. women
Cannabis is displayed at Essence Vegas Cannabis Dispensary before the midnight start of recreational marijuana sales on June 30, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Posted Jun 18 2019 03:50PM CDT
Updated Jun 18 2019 05:07PM CDT
(AP) - Pot use in pregnancy has doubled among U.S. women and is most common during the first trimester, government research shows.
Overall, 7% of pregnant women, or 1 in 14, said they used marijuana in the past month. That's from a nationally representative health survey in 2016-17 and compares with a little over 3% in 2002-03.
Some studies have linked marijuana use during pregnancy with increased chances of premature birth and low birthweight. Animal studies have linked high doses early in pregnancy with fetal brain abnormalities, but whether typical use in humans poses similar risks is unknown, said Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
"Because we don't know exactly how harmful it is, it's better to err on the side of caution," said Volkow, one of the authors of the government study. Marijuana use during pregnancy "is not worth the risk," she said Tuesday.
The study was presented at a medical meeting Tuesday and published online in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
First trimester use jumped from almost 6% to 12%. Many women may have used pot before they learned they were pregnant, or used it to ease morning sickness, although few women said a doctor had recommended it, Volkow said.
Among women who weren't pregnant, the rate of marijuana use increased from almost 7% to nearly 12%, or 1 in 8.
The results are based on health surveys involving nearly half a million U.S. women who were questioned during a period when rising numbers of states legalized marijuana for medical or recreational use. It's legal in 10 states for both uses but remains illegal federally.
A separate study on marijuana use among pregnant Canadian women, published in the same journal, adds to evidence suggesting that pot use in pregnancy may lead to premature birth. A journal editorial notes that like similar previous studies, the Canadian research can't rule out whether other factors that may have contributed.
The editorial warned against relying on imperfect data to make judgments about potential harms from marijuana use and said more rigorous research is needed. Volkow said U.S. government restrictions on marijuana research are "very much an issue" and have hampered efforts to answer fundamental questions about pot use.
By Colleen Killingsworth, Kelly Taylor Hayes
Retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens has died, the court confirmed. He was 99.
When he retired from the Supreme Court on June 29, 2010, he had served for 34 years and six months, making him the second-oldest serving justice in the history of the court, and the third-longest serving Supreme Court justice in history. Had he served just three days more, he would have tied for the second-longest serving justice in history.
Stevens was known during his tenure on the Supreme Court to be one of the more liberal voices, even though Stevens said, "I don't think of myself as a liberal at all ," in a 2007 interview with the New York Times .
By Gabrielle Moreira
West Virginia State Police are warning people that there's a new drug trend happening in the area – people are using wasp spray as an alternative to methamphetamine.
State police believe the wasp spray contributed to three overdoses within the last week, according to WRGB-TV .
"We're seeing this here on the streets in Boone County," Sgt. Charles Sutphin told WRGB-TV. "People are making a synthetic type methamphetamine out of wasp spray."
'Started spreading up my leg': Woman gets flesh-eating bacteria after swimming at beach
By Kelly Taylor Hayes
A woman said she contracted a flesh-eating bacteria that made it difficult to walk after briefly swimming at a beach in Virginia.
On June 29, Amanda Edwards said she went into the water at Ocean View Beach in Norfolk "for about 10 minutes" to cool off. Two days later, Edwards noticed a red bump on her leg, which eventually got bigger.
She also developed a headache and an upset stomach.
Schwarber's homer in 10th gives Cubs 4-3 win over Reds
Man tried to lure child in South Chicago: police
Vehicle hits pole, splits in half in Little Village


These heart amulets, also called 'Ib' or 'Ab' were worn and given to the deceased. They represented the power of life and free will. This particular one is made of the precious material carnelian.
Ex. Private UK collection, collected in the 1990's.


wmtc: unpaid labour used to be called slavery. now it's an internship.
unpaid labour used to be called slavery. now it's an internship.
In recent years, I've been very disturbed by the proliferation of so-called unpaid internships, more properly called unpaid labour, previously known as slavery.
A while back, I had a disturbing conversation with an unpaid editor at The Mark. She was highly skilled, an excellent editor. I told her so, and asked if she was being paid. Since The Mark does not pay its contributors, I was wondering if they also got a free pass on staff.
The young woman vigorously defended her unpaid job, explaining, "I'm learning the business as I go." To which I responded, "That used to be called an entry level job!" She seemed not to realize that people used to get hired right out of university, and trained in a variety of positions. I asked, "When the internship ends, will they hire you?" She said, no, she can renew her unpaid arrangement, or leave. It's safe to assume that if she chose to leave, another unpaid intern would take her place.
I'm assuming The Mark pays web designers, IT people, advertising salespeople. But writers and editors? Why bother?
The New York Times confirms that increasing numbers of desperate university graduates are accepting unpaid work, in the hopes of gaining experience. The Daily Mail notes the same is happening in the UK, and the Toronto Star's Carol Goar documented the practice in Canada.
Unpaid internships have long been the norm in the nonprofit world, where dollars are stretched till they scream. In the past, however, interns were usually students. They worked on special projects, and there was an understanding that they were first in line for real jobs. Now interns have university or Master's degrees, and they work in day-to-day operations.
According to Statistics Canada, unemployment in Ontario for those younger than 24 is 16.5 per cent. That's more than double the rate of 6.3 per cent for those above 24.
In many sectors of the economy, internships seem to have replaced entry-level positions, forcing young people to work without pay for years till they gain enough experience to get hired for mid-level jobs, says Toronto lawyer and internship critic Andrew Langille.
"Exploitation of unpaid interns has reached epidemic levels," Langille said.
Langille estimates tens of thousands of people are misclassified as interns by their employers. "As a result of this mischaracterization these young people forgo wages, can't collect EI, and aren't credited with contributions to CPP," said Langille, who monitors internship job postings on his blog and often intervenes in an attempt to see that minimum wage is paid.
At the same time, more education than ever is required: not only a four-year university degree, but one and sometimes two Master's degrees, so young people enter the job market increasingly burdened by debt.
Unpaid internships exclude young people who simply cannot afford them, people who must pay their own way in order to eat and put a roof over their heads. During my time in grad school, a steady stream of volunteer positions was always posting. Only students from privileged backgrounds could even consider applying for them.
Companies should have an obligation to hire and train young people, but the brutal equation of capitalism shields them from any obligation except profit for their shareholders. The government, by not holding down education fees, and the companies that exploit young graduates, are helping to financially cripple an entire generation. This in turn will take a toll on our entire society.
Unpaid labour takes other forms, too. The restaurant industry has their labour costs subsidized by their customers, and we've come to accept this bizarre situation as perfectly normal. But think about it: why should customers be responsible for paying servers? Why should servers' pay depend on customers' whims - and on the relative ignorance of the customer? Sadly, many people think tipping is optional, a way to reward outstanding service, and acceptable to withhold if you don't like the food, or perhaps can't afford the meal any other way. But servers live on tips.
Supermarkets and big-box stores also get free labour, every time customers use the self-checkout aisle. After we spend money at a store, is it such a luxury to have someone ring up our purchases and put them in bags? Apparently so. My local Loblaws keeps two people working on checkout, with eight cashier bays empty - thus creating long lines, and ensuring frustrated customers will use self-checkout. Getting out of Ikea has become a nightmare, with one checkout staffed, and everyone else struggling to find the bar codes on their own items.
Contrary to what companies would like you to believe, the great savings in labour costs is not passed along to the consumer. It's pocketed as profit.
Other costs are offloaded to the customer and sold as convenience. Printing your own boarding pass may indeed be convenient, but think of how much money it saves the airline over time. Paperless billing, while good for the environment, is another huge cost saver, passed along to the consumer.
Finally, we shouldn't talk about unpaid labour without acknowledging the largest sector of unpaid work on the planet: the work traditionally done by women at home. The numbers on this are startling.
The trend of unpaid internships is best seen in context of late-stage capitalism, as companies, desperate to show growth, try anything to wring out a drop of profit.
Staffing cutbacks, benefit clawbacks, stagnating pay.
Forcing workers to work off the clock.
Shrinking product size. A bag of coffee, traditionally one pound, is now 12 ounces. A carton of juice, formerly two litres, is now 1.75 litres for the same price. I bought a familiar skin care product. The packaging looked the same, but inside, there was a false bottom. The actual product was 25% smaller. Yes, the millilitres or ounces were labeled correctly, but if you're familiar with the size and shape of a product, are you checking the ounces each time you buy it?
Meanwhile, services cost more, and more services are needed. Housing costs, utilities, and food are subject to the market, even though all industries reap the benefits of government subsidies. For many people, this turns necessities into luxuries.
Last year, I wrote: what are people supposed to do? or, why we need socialism.
The bottom has fallen out. The "invisible hand" is crippled. It clutches at us from the grave.
Kind of a tangent to the actual point of the post, but I've been thinking about writing about checkout lines lately (can't quite come up with much to say except complaining though.) Both the Metro and the Shoppers in my neighbourhood get huge lines during the evening rush hour - like long enough that they interfere with people's ability to move through the store - but they haven't upped their staffing levels. They've built at least half a dozen new highrises in my neighbourhood in the 10 years I've lived here and all these people are doing errands on their way home from work, but they have the same number of cashiers as they did 10 years ago. Shopper's has five registers and a maximum of three are ever staffed. The highest cashier staffing level I've ever seen in Metro is about 3/4 of the registers. (There are no self-checkouts in either store).
There are a lot of people who say the neighbourhood is overcrowded and therefore they shouldn't allow new development, and they cite these lines as evidence. (Sounds petty, but this is something that inconveniences nearly everyone in the neighbourhood several times a week.) But it isn't an overcrowding problem, it's a staffing problem. Supply and demand is broken.
Imp Strump, my take is it's caused by exactly what I'm writing about here. They have cut back on labour costs. If someone had the time and energy, a series of neighbourhood petitions to SDM and Metro to hire more cashiers might be a powerful tool. If a few people in the neighbourhood could get together, it would be less work for everyone.
Alison, thank you, and thanks very much for the link. Your coverage of RBC has been excellent.
Also, Imp Strump, if you did write about it, you could tweet it at SDM and Metro, that might help.
The Washington Post: Are unpaid internships illegal?
Thank you! I will post that. It's good to see this issue getting some mainstream coverage.


A couple of years ago, I had no idea Fight Club was originally a book. After loving the book, I was kind of surprised learning writer, Chuck Palahniuk had written a really acclaimed horror story. Curiosity got the better of me and I had to check out Haunted. Haunted is a strange book to talk about, but I can say I haven't read many like it if any. The core premise is simple: a group of weirdos is drawn to a three month long writer's retreat by a rich old guy named Whittier and they are told to bring what matters most to them. They are brought to a secluded place, locked away with a limited supply of food and no kind of contact with the outside world. What ensues is a catalog of desperation becoming madness as they run out of food, become deprived of sleep, water and utter sanity as they create their own stories that gives us a window into the lives of our "victims". These stories are, excuse my language, are fascinating as they are fucked up. There is a story of a dude who lost part of his small intestine in a pool filter, a professional foot fetishist, a woman who named her cat after her dead cat, and a dude who told some real nasty lies about a former child star to name a few. I warn you, do not read this book if you have weak constitutions or get freaked out easy, don't read this book.
While I didn't love every single short story or every free form poem, this maybe one of the best books I've ever read. By the end, I legitimately felt different then when I started and that maybe the best compliment I can give. The overall story is disturbing but relate-able as are many of the short stories. Palahniuk's writing style is a lot easier to get into this time around then Fight Club; in fact I was pretty engulfed by how well everything flowed. Haunted is a great read I highly recommend if you want to read something really different but really deep. May the gaming gods bring you glory.


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DER SPIEGEL Der Spiegel Spiegel International
International Pfeil nach rechts
World Pfeil nach rechts
Islamic State Pfeil nach rechts
Kurds from Germany Joining PKK in Fight against Islamic State
Bound for Syria German Kurds Join Fight against Islamic State
Young Kurds from Germany are joining PKK's fight against Islamic State in Syria. Security officials are concerned that tensions between Salafists and Kurds in Germany could rise once they return home.
Von Jörg Diehl und Fidelius Schmid
Kurds in Düsseldorf, Germany, demonstrate against Islamic State and show their support for besieged Kobani.
Just before reaching the border, Berdi Akpolat* and his cousin ducked into a dried-out creek bed to hide. Peering over the edge, they could clearly see the spotlights mounted on Turkish vehicles as they patrolled the border. Akpolat and his cousin waited patiently for an interval between two Jeeps, and then they made a dash for the fence. After leaning a board against the razor wire, they leapt the barrier into Syria.
Once there, the pair was welcomed by a group of around 20 armed men and women. Their leader embraced Akpolat, exclaiming "welcome to Rojava" just as tanks on the Turkish side began firing. The fighters fired back, according to Akpolat, and then took him and his cousin into a house where Abdullah Öcalan, the founder of the force PKK, is said to have once spent the night.
It was well past midnight and the two men from Germany could hear the salvos and shell impacts of fighting between PKK guerilla fighters and Islamic State militants. Akpolat, 21, a Kurd from Stuttgart with a German passport, spoke with a group of armed women who told him that he was ideologically prepared to join the fight in the Kobani region. When a pick-up drove up, the women got in, Akpolat says, and they made room for him too. "Come on!" they called.
Akpolat began his journey in August. German security officials believe that he is part of a growing number of young Kurds from Germany who are making a journey for which Salafists have become notorious: They are heading to Syria to fight in the country's civil war. Once there, they join forces with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a group banned in Germany and the European Union as a terrorist organization.
Security officials believe that some 50 men and women have made the trip, but the real number is likely much higher. In contrast to Islamic State, PKK is a disciplined organization. For decades, it has been able to operate largely out of view of German investigators, with their fighters able to leave the country unnoticed, only returning for rest and relaxation.
Getting Home In One Piece
Akpolat denies having fought in Syria, insisting that he was only there for a few days. During his stay, he saw people die, witnessed horrific wounds, and heard of atrocities and heroism. But then, he says, he left -- because his cousin had promised Akpolat's mother he would bring him home safely.
He admits to having carried a Kalashnikov while in Syria. "You can't wander around Kobani without a weapon," he says. But he claims to only have been accompanying his cousin, who smuggles PKK fighters from Turkey into the Kurdish areas of Syria -- "more than 500 of them thus far," Akpolat proudly claims. He also says that he knows plenty of people who are now fighting in Turkey, including a friend from Lake Constance and others, women among them. "There are a lot," he says.
The young man is sitting in his parents' living room, dressed entirely in black. His eyes glow when he talks about the Kurdish struggle and exhibits a precise knowledge of important dates in PKK history. His grandfather is said to have been a co-founder of the group's military wing. Next to the television is a photograph of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan; a gold-framed rhinestone twinkles above Öcalan's graying hair. "Without the PKK, we Kurds wouldn't exist anymore," Akpolat says. "Our language, our cultural identity would be lost."
The walls of the Kurdish cultural center in the Ostend quarter of Stuttgart frequented by Akpolat are covered with oversized posters of three PKK activists murdered in Paris in 2013. A yellowing poster allegedly depicts 12 PKK fighters from the Stuttgart region who have fallen in the fight against Turkey. Two additional images -- one of a man, the other of a woman -- are displayed on a table as though it were an altar. "Those are the most recent to have fallen," Akpolat says. He points to the woman: "She took 71 Islamic State fighters with her."
Two older men, allegedly functionaries in "the movement," walk into the cultural center. When asked if young people from Germany are heading to Syria to fight for PKK, they are initially circumspect. "We don't approve when people who are too young come," one of them says. "They have to be at least 18." But, he adds: "It happens every day that men and women head off."
German security officials are aware of such activity. For years, officials say, the PKK has been trying to attract volunteers for their fight against Turkey. Specially trained recruiters mostly target young men and try to tempt them with adventure, idealism and love for the homeland.
The number of potential volunteers appears to be large. Security officials believe that PKK has some 13,000 followers in Germany. Though the organization has been banned in Germany for more than 10 years, the country continues to serve as a safe haven and as a hotbed of recruitment. Equipped with aliases and fabricated biographies, a constantly rotating group of leaders head up the four PKK regions in Germany, known as "Sahas": North, Central, South 1 and South 2. Once new recruits have been enlisted, they are sent to camps in the Netherlands or Belgium for initial ideological training. Then, they travel to Kurdish regions.
'Further Escalation'
Since last fall, investigators and intelligence agencies have noted that PKK has increasingly been searching for recruits for the civil war in Syria. "It began slowly," one agent says, "but it is now gaining steam." Images from the fight for Kobani have a particularly strong effect on young people. An internal security agency report notes that new recruits receive military training in the border regions of Turkey and Iraq preparatory to joining YPG -- the Syrian branch of PKK -- in the fight in Syria.
So many Kurds have been making the trip that officials are now trying to prevent them from heading to the region if they are thought to harbor intentions of joining the armed conflict there. But a similar effort aimed at hindering Islamists from traveling to Syria has proven difficult. When it comes to Kurds, it could be almost impossible. "These people aren't as stupid as the jihadists," says one secret service agent. "You can't differentiate them from totally normal travelers. If they are active for the PKK, then only in secret." And once they have arrived in the war zone, they don't -- in contrast to Islamic State fighters -- send back photos of themselves holding up disembodied heads, nor do they appear in web videos. "We are basically groping around in the dark," a different security official admits.
The inability to track PKK fighters may have something to do with the Kurds' deftness. But it could also be a product of where police, prosecutors and intelligence agencies prefer to focus their resources. For the purposes of German security, those who are returning from the battlefield are more relevant. But whereas Kurds come back to Germany to rest, returning Salafists are considered to be potential terrorists.
When it comes to returning Kurds, the worry is more that their presence in Germany could intensify tensions with the Salafist scene. Just two weeks ago, the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) warned of the "strong emotionalization" of the two sides, following riots in Hamburg and Celle.
Akpolat, who has taken to making daily visits to the Kurdish vigil on Schlossplatz square in the heart of Stuttgart, agrees with that assessment. He too says that he has noticed that the atmosphere between Kurds and Salafists has steadily become more uneasy. "If it continues like this," he says, "it is only a question of time before we will see a further escalation here."
Islamic State Syria Islamic Extremism Turkey Immigration


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World cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk from Ukraine (13-0, 11 KOs) will be traveling to Riga on January 27 to face WBC champion from Latvia Mairis Briedis (23-0, 18 KOs) in the semifinals of the World Boxing Super Series (WBSS) tournament, the organizers of the event announced December 6.
The event will be held at Arena Riga, and tickets will go on sale next week.
An adoring home crowd is sure to cheer on the Riga policeman, who last time around in Riga won ahard-fought encounter with Cuban Mike Perez after 12 rounds of very competitive action.
Briedis retained his WBC cruiserweight title and moved on to the semifinal round of the World Boxing Super Series tournament after defeating Cuba's Mike Perez in Riga this past October.
Meanwhile, Usyk defeated Germany's Marco Huck in his semifinal in September.


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Nutrition for Kids Home
Serve Up Good Nutrition for Preschool Children
Get even picky eaters to eat healthfully – with a minimum of fuss.
By Elizabeth M. Ward, MS, RD
Preschoolers are active, spirited tykes. And while they're generally adorable and fun, it's perfectly normal for 3, 4, and 5-year-olds to be opinionated -- especially about eating.
Here's some advice from the experts on how to avoid preschool food fights.
What's On the Menu?
"Preschoolers can eat what the rest of the family eats," says Melinda Johnson, MS, RD, a pediatric nutrition expert and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. That's provided family meals feature a variety of healthy foods, in moderation.
Depending on his or her age, an active preschooler's energy needs rival those of some grown women. While there's no need to track a youngster's calorie consumption, it is important to make calories count.
A young child's eating plan should consist mostly of healthy foods, such as lean meats, poultry, seafood, eggs, and legumes; whole grains, such as whole-wheat bread and cereals; at least two servings of dairy foods daily; and fresh or lightly processed fruits and vegetables.
There is room for treats, but it's limited, says Kathy Mitchell, MD, a practicing pediatrician at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates in Watertown, Mass.
"Keep junk foods like cookies and candy out of the house to reduce temptation," she advises. "But don't go overboard. Kids can become intensely attracted to forbidden foods."
Make Time for Meals
Regular family meals provide opportunities for good nutrition, and much more. Dining together encourages proper table manners and fosters language development and conversational skills. When you minimize distractions by turning off the TV and turning on the answering machine, you show your child that mealtime is reserved for savoring healthy food and nurturing meaningful relationships.
While the ritual of regular meals is comforting to kids, dining with preschoolers can be chaotic and messy. Expect spills and some sloppy eating as your youngster hones his self-feeding skills. Refrain from being a "clean freak" to minimize mealtime stress.
"Being too strict about neatness at the dinner table may cause your little one to feel bad about knocking over his milk or getting food on his clothes," Johnson says.
Monkey See, Monkey Do
Want your child to accept baked potatoes instead of fries, and to prefer milk to sugary soft drinks? Then you must, too.
"Studies show that children adopt their parents' eating habits starting early in life," Johnson says. "Don't expect your child to eat better than you do."
Little ones love to imitate adults, and they will mimic your eating habits, whether they are good or in need of improvement. Capitalize on a youngster's natural curiosity by substituting healthier foods at the dinner table. Chances are, he'll have what you're having, and you'll be broadening his food horizons while arousing a minimum of suspicion.
Here are some suggested stand-ins that offer variety and good nutrition:
Couscous instead of white rice
Sweet potatoes for white potatoes
Canadian bacon for bacon
Mashed potatoes made with reduced-fat milk for french fries
Fig bars for high-fat cookies
Tube yogurt (freeze first for easier handling) for ice cream
Reduced-fat cheddar for regular cheese.
Snacks Fill Nutrient Gaps
Scheduling meals and snacks helps ensure a healthy diet for preschoolers. Problem is, young children don't always follow a rigid eating plan. Illnesses, including ear infections and colds; fatigue; and growth spurts can temporarily change the frequency and amount your young child consumes.
Healthy between-meal snacks help fill in nutrient gaps in a little one's diet. The best snacks are nutritious foods eaten in amounts that take the edge off your son or daughter's hunger. Don't worry if they're not ravenous at their next meal.
"When you offer nutritious snacks, your child gets what they need, so it doesn't matter if they don't eat a lot at dinner," says Mitchell.
Feed your child in a designated area, preferably a kitchen or dining room table. Sitting down to eat, and only to eat, helps children pay attention to their feelings of fullness, Mitchell says.
Try these nutritious and delicious snack options for your preschooler:
1/2 sandwich
Well-cooked vegetables and low-fat dip
Whole grain crackers and cheese
Chopped hard-boiled eggs or scrambled eggs
Dry cereal; cereal with milk
Low-fat microwave popcorn (starting at age 4).
Encourage a Healthy Weight
Your child is still young, but it's not too early to help him achieve a healthy weight. Respecting a preschooler's ability to decide how much to eat and when is central to that effort. An American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study suggests how capable children are of regulating their intake – and how adults can interfere with that innate ability.
When researchers served preschoolers a double portion of macaroni and cheese, the children took bigger bites and ate more. But when the researchers placed the double-sized portion in a serving bowl and let the children serve themselves, the children chose an appropriate amount of food for their ages: about a 1/2-cup portion for 3-year-olds and 3/4 cup for 4 and 5-year-olds.
Limiting television -- even educational shows -- also improves preschoolers' chances for a healthy weight. Three-year-olds who watched two or more hours of television daily were nearly three times more likely to be overweight than children who watched less, according to recent research in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.
"It's tempting to allow a preschooler to watch TV so that you can get a few minutes to yourself, but it's a tough habit to break," Mitchell says. And while Mitchell, a mother of two, does not expect parents to banish television, she is adamant about separating eating and the television set.
What's the problem with eating in front of the TV? Writing in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, researchers recently found that preschoolers of normal weight who often eat while watching television tend to eat more, possibly because they are distracted from normal cues for fullness.
Fend Off Food Fits
Preschoolers can be picky eaters. They may favor the same few foods for weeks on end, in spite of your attempts at variety. You can't stop children from fussing about food, but you can control the way you react to their demands for chicken nuggets or macaroni and cheese every day.
The temptation is to prepare only the foods you are sure your young child will accept. But resist that urge.
Johnson, also a mom, recommends playing down entrenched food preferences while continuing to offer a variety of choices.
"Most children will eventually get bored and at least start picking at the other foods you offer, as long as you don't engage them in a power struggle at the table," she says.
It's normal to become concerned when a child continues to choose the same limited diet. While you're waiting for your child to snap out of his eating rut, put your mind at ease by offering a daily multivitamin appropriate for your child's age. Multivitamins fill in small nutrient gaps in a picky eater's diet, particularly for iron -- a nutrient that's critical to a child's brain development, immune system and energy level.
WebMD Feature Reviewed by Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD on December 17, 2008
SOURCES: Francis, L. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, April 2006, vol 106; pp. 598-600; Fisher, J. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, May 2003, vol 77; pp 1164-1170; Lumeng, J. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, April 2006, vol 160; pp 417-422. Ward, E. The Complete Idiot's Guide to the New Food Pyramids, Alpha Books, 2006. Melinda Johnson, MS, RD, breastfeeding coordinator, Arizona Department of Public Health Services; spokesperson, American Dietetic Association. Kathy Mitchell, MD, Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, Watertown, Mass.
Healthy Food Slideshow: Build a Better Meal
Slideshow: Quick Tips for Feeding a Picky Eater
Quiz: How Can You Get Kids the Vitamins They Need?
Kids Portion Sizes Quiz: Are Your Kids Overloading Their Plates?
The Best of the Light Ice Creams
A Snack That Pops: Popcorn
Build a Better Pizza
Nutrition for Kids Topics


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Album Review: Crystal Fairy – Crystal Fairy B
Album Review: Crystal Fairy – Crystal Fairy
A heavy, artsy, and dramatic record that offers more with each listen.
by Meghan Roos
on February 21, 2017, 12:00am
Melvins, At The Drive-In, Le Butcherettes supergroup Crystal Fairy share debut album: Stream
Omar Rodríguez-López, Teri Gender Bender, Buzz Osborne and Dale Crover join forces.
Crystal Fairy (Melvins, At The Drive-In, Le Butcherettes) unveil new song — listen
The band's self-titled LP drops on February 24th.
on January 23, 2017, 12:10pm
Crystal Fairy (Melvins, At The Drive-In, Le Butcherettes) unleash ferocious new song "Chiseler" — listen
Heavyweight supergroup continues to tease its self-titled debut.
on December 08, 2016, 1:05pm
Solange, A$AP Mob and Kings of Leon Headline Our Top Songs of the Week (10/07)
Here are 10 tracks more likely to give you sweet dreams than creepy nightmares.
by Adam Kivel,Lior Phillips and Nina Corcoran
on October 07, 2016, 9:02am
The Melvins, Omar Rodríguez-López, Teri Gender Bender form Crystal Fairy, share debut song — listen
Supergroup will release their debut album early next year.


Depicting the strong culture and tradition, World Heritage Sites in India, exhibits the outstanding universal value. Ancient historical monuments, forts, palaces, temples, caves and other excavated sites forms the part of its heritage. The World Heritage list has total 830 sites of which 27 are in India including Taj Mahal in Uttar pradesh. These heritage sites have been selected by UNESCO to encourage protection and preservation of cultural and natural sites, as well as it has raised funds and has provided technical expertise. These Heritage sites provides the glimpse of India's glorious past and age old customs and tradition of India. The recent edition, in the year 2007, is the dignified Red Fort which stands tall with other monuments of India.


Wangari Maathai, 71, winner of the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize, died of cancer on September 24, 2011, in Nairobi, Kenya.
Maathai "won a scholarship to study biology at Mount St. Scholastica College in Atchison, Kansas, receiving a degree in 1964," wrote New York Times obituarist Jeffrey Gettleman. "She earned a master of science degree from the University of Pitts-burgh. She went on to obtain a doctorate in veterinary anatomy at the University of Nairobi, becoming the first woman in East or Central Africa to hold such a degree," Gettleman continued.
Maathai taught veterinary anatomy at the University of Nairobi for many years, while becoming increasingly active in environmental and social justice causes.
"Her quest to see fewer trees felled and more planted saw her face off against Kenya's powerful elite," recalled Jason Straziuso and Tom Odula of Associated Press. "At least three times she was physically attacked, including being clubbed unconscious by police during a hunger strike in 1992. In the summer of 1998," Straziuso and Odula continued, "the Kenyan government was giving land to political allies in a protected forest on Nairobi's outskirts. Maathai began a campaign to reclaim the land, culminating in a confrontation with 200 hired thugs armed with machetes and bows and arrows. When Maathai tried to plant a tree, she and her cohorts were attacked with whips, clubs and stones. Maathai received a bloody gash on her head," but the incident was the beginning of the end for the 30-year regime of former Kenyan president Daniel arap Moi, and inspired the United Nations Environmental Program's Billion Tree Campaign. Since 2006 the UNEP program has helped to plant 11 billion trees.
"A true heroine and a champion of animal welfare, wildlife and environmental conservation, she was a great inspiration to many of us," e-mailed Africa Network for Animal Welfare founder Josphat Ngonyo to ANIMAL PEOPLE. Illness prevented Maathai from attending the September 2010 Africa Animal Action conference in Nairobi, organized by ANAW, but she sent a statement that was read aloud to the delegates.