text:
function New-AGMOrg ([string]$orgname,[string]$description,[string]$jsonbody,[string]$applist,[string]$arraylist,[string]$hostlist,[string]$lglist,[string]$poollist,[string]$slplist,[string]$sltlist,[string]$userlist)
{
    <#
    .SYNOPSIS
    Creates a new Organization on AGM

    .DESCRIPTION
    The New-AGMOrg is used to create a new Organization.

    .NOTES
    Written by Anthony Vandewerdt

    .EXAMPLE
    New-AGMOrg EngTeam1

    Creates a new Org called EngTeam1

    .EXAMPLE
    New-AGMOrg -orgname EngTeam1 -description "Test team"

    Creates a new Org called EngTeam1 with a description of "Test team"

    .EXAMPLE
    New-AGMOrg -orgname avtest8 -description "lets get developing" -applist "19324243" -arraylist "28127562" -hostlist 5569125 -lglist 40490815 -poollist "13638082" -slplist 5552517 -sltlist "43073490,4583" -userlist "45229518"

    Creates a new org with specified resources.
    applist is a list of App IDs
    arraylist is a list of ESP arrays
    hostlist is a list of host IDs
    lglist is a list of logical group IDs
    poollist is a list of pool IDs
    slplist is a list of profile IDs
    sltlist is a list of template IDs
    userlist is a list of user IDs

    .EXAMPLE
    New-AGMOrg -jsonbody '{"@type":"organizationRest","name":"avtest","description":"test org"}'

    Creates a new Org called avtest with a description of "test org", using a JSON body.

    .EXAMPLE
    New-AGMOrg -jsonbody {"@type":"organizationRest","name":"avtest","description":"test team","resourcecollection":{"sltlist":["43073490","38356288","4583"],"hostlist":["5569125"],"slplist":["5552517"],"userlist":["52122754"],"poollist":["5552670","5552672"]}}

    Creates a new Org called avtest with a description of "test team" and a variety of resources, using a JSON body.
    #>

    $datefields = "modifydate,createdate"
    if (!($jsonbody))
    {
        if (!($orgname))
        {
            $orgname = Read-Host "OrgName"
        }

        if ($applist)
        {
            $appgrab = @{applist=@($applist.Split(","))}
        }
        else
        {
            $appgrab=@{}
        }

        if ($arraylist)
        {
            $arraygrab = @{arraylist=@($arraylist.Split(","))}
        }
        else
        {
            $arraygrab=@{}
        }

        if ($hostlist)
        {
            $hostgrab = @{hostlist=@($hostlist.Split(","))}
        }
        else
        {
            $hostgrab=@{}
        }

        if ($lglist)
        {
            $lggrab = @{lglist=@($lglist.Split(","))}
        }
        else
        {
            $lggrab=@{}
        }

        if ($poollist)
        {
            $poolgrab = @{poollist=@($poollist.Split(","))}
        }
        else
        {
            $poolgrab=@{}
        }

        if ($slplist)
        {
            $slpgrab =  @{slplist=@($slplist.Split(","))}
        }
        else
        {
            $slpgrab=@{}
        }

        if ($sltlist)
        {
            $sltgrab = @{sltlist=@($sltlist.Split(","))}
        }
        else
        {
            $sltgrab=@{}
        }

        if ($userlist)
        {
            $usergrab = @{userlist=@($userlist.Split(","))}
        }
        else
        {
            $usergrab=@{}
        }

        $resourcecollection = @{}
        $resourcecollection+=$appgrab
        $resourcecollection+=$arraygrab
        $resourcecollection+=$hostgrab
        $resourcecollection+=$lggrab
        $resourcecollection+=$poolgrab
        $resourcecollection+=$sltgrab
        $resourcecollection+=$slpgrab
        $resourcecollection+=$usergrab

        $body = [ordered]@{"@type"="organizationRest";name=$orgname;description=$description;resourcecollection=$resourcecollection}
        $jsonbody = $body | ConvertTo-Json

    }
    Post-AGMAPIData -endpoint /org -body $jsonbody -datefields $datefields
}

function Update-AGMOrg ([string]$orgid,[string]$orgname,[string]$description,[string]$jsonbody)
{
    <#
    .SYNOPSIS
    Updates an AGM Organization

    .DESCRIPTION
    The Update-AGMOrg is used to modify an Organization, changings it's name, description or members.

    .NOTES
    Written by Anthony Vandewerdt

    .EXAMPLE
    Update-AGMOrg -orgid 53795913 -orgname avtest5 -description "Org for AV"

    Updates org ID 53795913 with orgname of avtest5 and a description of "Org for AV".  Note if these are the current values, the command will still run.

    .EXAMPLE
    Update-AGMOrg -orgid 53795913 -jsonbody '{"@type":"organizationRest","id":"53795913","name":"avtest3","description":"test org"}'

    Modifies org ID 53795913 to change it's name to avtest3 and its description to "test org"

    #>
    $datefields = "modifydate,createdate"
    if (!($orgid))
    {
        [string]$orgid = Read-Host "OrgID to update"
    }
    if (!($jsonbody))
    {
        $body = [ordered]@{"@type"="organizationRest";name=$orgname;description=$description;resourcecollection=$resourcecollection}
        $jsonbody = $body | ConvertTo-Json
    }

    Put-AGMAPIData -endpoint /org/$orgid -body $jsonbody -datefields $datefields
}

function New-AGMRole ([string]$rolename,[string]$description,[string]$jsonbody)
{
    <#
    .SYNOPSIS
    Creates a new Role on AGM

    .DESCRIPTION
    The New-AGMRole is used to create a new Role.

    .NOTES
    Written by Anthony Vandewerdt

    .EXAMPLE
    New-AGMRole DevUsers
    Creates a new role called DevUsers

    .EXAMPLE
    New-AGMRole -rolename DevUsers
    Creates a new role called DevUsers

    #>

    $datefields = "modifydate,createdate"
    if (!($jsonbody))
    {
        if (!($rolename))
        {
            $rolename = Read-Host "RoleName"
        }

        if (!($description))
        {
            $description = Read-Host "Description"
        }
        $body = @{name=$rolename;description=$description}
        $jsonbody = $body | ConvertTo-Json
    }
    Post-AGMAPIData -endpoint /role -body $jsonbody -datefields $datefields
}

function Set-AGMOrgApplication ([string]$orglist,[string]$appid,[string]$jsonbody)
{
    <#
    .SYNOPSIS
    Sets which AGM Organizations an application is in

    .DESCRIPTION
    The Set-AGMOrgApplication is used to determine which organizations an application is in.  This command replaces existing memberships, it doesn't add to existing memberships.

    .NOTES
    Written by Anthony Vandewerdt

    .EXAMPLE
    Set-AGMOrgApplication -orglist "4715,159413" -appid 5569144

    Changes appid 5569144 so that it is now a member of orgs 4715 and 159413.
    Any previous memberships are replaced.  Note multiple org IDs, need to be comma separated and enclosed by double quotes

    .EXAMPLE
    Set-AGMOrgApplication -appid 5569144 -jsonbody '{"@type":"applicationRest","orglist":[{"id":"159413"},{"id":"4715"}],"sensitivity":0,"ispartofmemberrule":false}'

    Changes appid 5569144 so that it is now a member of orgs 4715 and 159413.
    Any previous memberships are replaced

    #>

    $datefields = "modifydate,syncdate"
    if (!($appid))
    {
        [string]$appid = Read-Host "AppID to update"
    }
    if (!($jsonbody))
    {
        if (!($orglist))
        {
          [string]$orglist = Read-Host "OrgIDs to update"
        }
        if ( ($orglist) -and ($orglist -ne "0") )
        {
            $orggrab = @(
                foreach ($org in $orglist.Split(","))
                {
                    @{
                        id = $org
                    }
                }
            )
            $body = [ordered]@{"@type"="applicationRest";"orglist"=$orggrab}
            $jsonbody = $body | ConvertTo-Json
        }

        if ($orglist -eq "0")
        {
            $jsonbody='{"@type":"applicationRest","orglist":[]}'
        }
    }

    Put-AGMAPIData -endpoint /application/$appid -body $jsonbody -datefields $datefields
}

function Set-AGMOrgHost ([string]$orglist,[string]$hostid,[string]$jsonbody)
{
    <#
    .SYNOPSIS
    Sets which AGM Organizations a host is in

    .DESCRIPTION
    The Set-AGMOrgHost is used to determine which organizations a host is in.  This command replaces existing memberships, it doesn't add to existing memberships.

    .NOTES
    Written by Anthony Vandewerdt

    .EXAMPLE
    Set-AGMOrgHost -orglist "4715,159413" -hostid 5569144

    Changes hostid 5569144 so that it is now a member of orgs 4715 and 159413.
    Any previous memberships are replaced.  Note multiple org IDs, need to be comma separated and enclosed by double quotes

    .EXAMPLE
    Set-AGMOrgHost -orglist 0 -hostid 5569144

    Changes hostid 5569144 so that it is no longer a member of any org.
    Any previous memberships are replaced.  Note multiple org IDs, need to be comma separated and enclosed by double quotes

    .EXAMPLE
    Set-AGMOrgHost -hostid 5569144 -jsonbody '{"@type":"hostRest","orglist":[{"id":"159413"},{"id":"4715"}]}'

    Changes host id 5569144 so that it is now a member of orgs 4715 and 159413.
    Any previous memberships are replaced

    #>

    $datefields = "modifydate,syncdate"
    if (!($hostid))
    {
        [string]$hostid = Read-Host "Host ID to update"
    }
    if (!($jsonbody))
    {
        if (!($orglist))
        {
          [string]$orglist = Read-Host "OrgIDs to update"
        }
        if ( ($orglist) -and ($orglist -ne "0") )
        {
            $orggrab = @(
                foreach ($org in $orglist.Split(","))
                {
                    @{
                        id = $org
                    }
                }
            )
            $body = [ordered]@{"@type"="hostRest";"orglist"=$orggrab}
            $jsonbody = $body | ConvertTo-Json
        }
        if ($orglist -eq "0")
        {
            $jsonbody='{"@type":"hostRest","orglist":[]}'
        }
    }

    Put-AGMAPIData -endpoint /host/$hostid -body $jsonbody -datefields $datefields
}

function Set-AGMOrgLogicalGroup ([string]$orglist,[string]$groupid,[string]$jsonbody)
{
    <#
    .SYNOPSIS
    Sets which AGM Organizations a logical group is in

    .DESCRIPTION
    The Set-AGMOrgLogicalGroup  is used to determine which organizations a logical group is in.  This command replaces existing memberships, it doesn't add to existing memberships.

    .NOTES
    Written by Anthony Vandewerdt

    .EXAMPLE
    Set-AGMOrgLogicalGroup -orglist "4715,159413" -groupid 40490815

    Changes logical group 5569144 so that it is now a member of orgs 4715 and 159413.
    Any previous memberships are replaced.  Note multiple org IDs, need to be comma separated and enclosed by double quotes

    .EXAMPLE
    Set-AGMOrgLogicalGroup -orglist 0 -groupid 40490815

    Changes logical group 5569144 so that it is no longer a member of any org.

    .EXAMPLE
    Set-AGMOrgLogicalGroup  -groupid 40490815 -jsonbody '{"@type":"logicalGroupRest","orglist":[{"id":"159413"},{"id":"4715"}]}'

    Changes logical group id 5569144 so that it is now a member of orgs 4715 and 159413.
    Any previous memberships are replaced

    #>

    $datefields = "modifydate,syncdate"
    if (!($groupid))
    {
        [string]$groupid = Read-Host "Logical Group ID to update"
    }
    if (!($jsonbody))
    {
        if (!($orglist))
        {
          [string]$orglist = Read-Host "OrgIDs to update"
        }
        if ( ($orglist) -and ($orglist -ne "0") )
        {
            $orggrab = @(
                foreach ($org in $orglist.Split(","))
                {
                    @{
                        id = $org
                    }
                }
            )
            $body = [ordered]@{"@type"="logicalGroupRest";"orglist"=$orggrab}
            $jsonbody = $body | ConvertTo-Json
        }
        if ($orglist -eq "0")
        {
            $jsonbody='{"@type":"logicalGroupRest","orglist":[]}'
        }
    }

    Put-AGMAPIData -endpoint /logicalgroup/$groupid -body $jsonbody -datefields $datefields
}


text:
Clemson 7th Among Top 25 Football Schools in Sustainability Efforts
By Edgefield Advertiser on September 8, 2014 Comments Off on Clemson 7th Among Top 25 Football Schools in Sustainability Efforts
CLEMSON, S.C. – Clemson University is ranked seventh among top college football schools in its sustainability efforts by the website SaveOnEnergy.com.
SaveOnEnergy.com ranked the universities in the Associated Press's top 25 college football poll based on their commitment to being green.
Clemson was ranked for its 11 active green organizations, 42.5 percent waste diversion, number of environmental studies degrees offered, 13 LEED-certified buildings with the requirement that all new buildings meet at least silver LEED certification and spending 35 percent of the meals budget on locally grown and organic food.
There are also green initiatives specific to football and tailgating. During the 2013 football season, Clemson recycled 123,604 pounds of waste. Volunteers pass out recycling bags before each game and collect trash and recyclables after the game.
"Being a part of something as incredible as the Clemson football game-day tradition is awesome," said Dave VanDeventer, Clemson recycling director and chairman of the Solid Green Committee.
"Clemson University is in the forefront of sustainability when it comes to greening our football games. Each year we continue to grow and expand our recycling efforts around the game-day experience. In addition to the bags that are passed out at the games for recycling there are more than 400 recycling bins in and around the stadium. Since 2011 we have increased our recycled material by more than 33 percent and expect it to go up again for 2014."
– Blake Bachara, Class of 2015
Clemson 7th Among Top 25 Football Schools in Sustainability Efforts added by Edgefield Advertiser on September 8, 2014
View all posts by Edgefield Advertiser →

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Why bother with grafting your fruit trees?
Well last year we had a bumper crop of apples (35kg) from 2 of our trees and we enjoyed the fresh fruit over a couple of months. It was great while the harvest lasted, but given that our family manages to consume up to 4kg of apples each week, the apples ran out quickly.
I noticed that later on in the season, well past when all our apples were gone, my friends and family were still picking fresh apples from their trees. The apples were different varieties to what I am growing (golden delicious and pink lady). This got me thinking about how I could extend the season of fresh apples at our place to enjoy them for a few more months in the season.
We don't have much space left for any more fruit trees, so the next best option was to consider grafting some different (later season) varieties onto our trees.
Fortunately my friend who lives close by (thanks Brad) gave me plenty of cuttings off his tree. They were a mix of different heritage varieties along with the golden delicious, which has turned out to be one of my favourite apples fresh from the tree. Brad told me stories of when he was young and the memories he had of biting into the huge juicy apples off their golden delicious tree whilst watching the cricket. I hope my children will look back to their younger years with fond memories of the fresh fruit and vegetables they enjoyed.
Anyway, back to the task at hand – I kept the cuttings in a vase of water over a few days until I had time to buy some grafting tape. With tape in hand and an old stanley knife I went to work on our 3 apple trees adding as many grafts as possible in the hope that at least 50% or more would take and continue to grow.
I used the whip and tongue method (thanks again Brad for the brief run down). This method is recommended for apple trees, and seemed to work well holding the 2 sides together when I tried to line up the outer layer of the branch known as the cambium layer. This layer produces the growth rings inside the tree adding new layers each season. The trick to obtaining a good graft is to make sure this layer lines up perfectly between the graft wood (known as the scion wood) and the tree itself. The tree then works to fuse both sides together as the tree comes out of dormancy and begins to grow for the new season.
Below is a picture of what a whip and tongue graft looks like.
Measure the branch size and make sure the width is the same as the cutting. Pick a section on the branch and cutting that is about 1 inch long and straight so it is easier to line up later on.
If the forecast is for warmer weather in the coming days, then it is recommended to bag the end cutting to protect the new shoots from drying out. I didn't get around to doing this, and we have had some days in the mid 20's so it will be interesting to see how many of the grafts survive. I have noticed some new growth on some of the grafts which is a good sign.
Here are some pics of the completed grafts.
I also did some experimenting by grafting some pear cuttings onto the apple trees. In future years I plan to add some plum varieties to the apricot tree and also some different peach varieties to the nectarine trees. Grafting has definately opened up a new world of possibilities for my small garden!
If you are limited by space and only have a few trees, why not try to combine some varieties by grafting onto the one tree and enjoying a mix of different fruit for a longer time over the growing season.
This entry was posted in Ben's Home Grown Journal by Ben. Bookmark the permalink.


text:
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> September 2017
'No obstacles to a right to speak in UN General Assembly'
Where the world goes to talk it over
The UN General Assembly, unelected, limited in its powers but with 193 theoretically equal members, is the world's only representative body.
by Anne-Cécile Robert & Romuald Sciora
The Nigerian delegation attend the UN General Assembly in October 1960
Al Fenn · LIFE Picture Collection · Getty
'There are no small countries at the General Assembly,' Dessima Williams told us in her office in the Glass House, the glass curtain-walled Secretariat building at United Nations headquarters in New York. Williams was formerly Grenada's ambassador to the UN and is now a special adviser to the president of the 71st General Assembly (GA). She spoke carefully, as if to make sure that we would understand, and seeing our scepticism, added: 'Simply because the UN charter says that all member states are sovereign and equal.'
The harsh reality of international relations suggests this statement should be treated with caution, but on 13 June 2016, a small yet significant incident disrupted the routine of the GA: the election of its president (for the statutory term of one year) did not go as expected. Delegates normally choose, by consensus, the candidate of the regional group whose turn it is to provide a president (see A global forum); this time, it was necessary to hold a formal vote. The Cypriot candidate, Andreas Mavroyiannis, favoured by the West, got 90 votes; a candidate from a microstate, Peter Thomson, the ambassador of Fiji to the UN, won with 94. An Asian diplomat said: 'Mr Thomson's election is a signal to the great powers. It's intended to underline the injustices of climate change: Fiji is one of the countries most vulnerable to rising sea levels, so putting its representative at the head of the UN's plenary organ is a political statement.' The GA operates on the principle of one state, one vote.
The GA is easily overshadowed by the Security Council, where crises are resolved or get bogged down under the authority of five permanent members with a power of veto: the US, Russia, China, the UK and France. Yet the GA fulfils a vital role. According to Thérèse Gastaut, a former strategic communications director at the UN, 'many of the debates are repetitive. But [they] also produce important new ideas that gradually gain support and make the UN a "sower of ideas". The General Assembly is a vital forum that allows states to interact on all international issues' (1), including disarmament, new technologies, the management of space vehicle debris, child protection and natural disaster risk reduction. The GA has improved international law in many areas and originated more than 300 treaties (2), including the Paris climate agreement of December 2015. Hundreds of meetings take place daily at its offices in New York and Geneva. A journalist described it as 'a kind of melting pot where a global consensus is created.'
The GA contributes to political debate as a forum for the discussion of important ideas and the assertion of basic demands. Its declaration of 14 December 1960, adopted in accordance with the principle of self-determination of all peoples (UN charter article 1, paragraph 2), legitimised the independence of colonised countries. With decolonisation, which led to many new states joining the UN, especially African countries long under British, French or Portuguese administration, the GA became the only universal forum for all nations (193 member states and two observers: the Holy See and Palestine).
'Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand'
In the 1960s and 70s, there were historic speeches at the GA: John F Kennedy's 1961 proposal that the US and Soviet Union hold talks on nuclear tests; Chilean president Salvador Allende's 1972 denunciation of the stranglehold of major industrial groups, supported by western governments, on the life of the South; and Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) leader Yasser Arafat's first major peace offer to Israel, on 13 November 1974: 'Today I have come bearing an olive branch and a freedom fighter's gun. Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand.'
Arafat's address helped to promote his cause, and on 22 November that year the GA voted overwhelmingly to recognise Palestinians' right to self-determination and sovereignty, and granted the PLO permanent observer status. On 29 November 2012, Palestine was granted the status of non-member observer state. With full membership ruled out by a probable US veto, this strengthens Palestine's international position and allows it to appeal to the International Criminal Court or sign treaties. In September 2015, Russian president Vladimir Putin used the GA's annual session to propose an international coalition against ISIS that would 'unite a broad range of forces that are resolutely resisting those who, just like the Nazis, sow evil and hatred of humankind.'
Many of the debates are repetitive. But they produce important new ideas that gain gradual support and make the UN a 'sower of ideas' Thérèse Gastaut
There is no global police force capable of enforcing GA resolutions, which often remain statements of principle with no practical consequences. But, as with decolonisation, they can be genuine political markers, transforming attitudes and the geopolitical balance of power. This is probably why the countries of the South were quick to use the GA to assert themselves. The Group of 77 and China, founded in 1964, speaks for 133 developing countries in economic and social debates. From 1968, UN declarations condemned the apartheid regime and pressured western countries trading with South Africa, and on a visit to New York in October 1994, Nelson Mandela said: 'We stand here today to salute the United Nations Organisation and its member states, both singly and collectively, for joining forces with the masses of our people in a common struggle that has brought about our emancipation and pushed back the frontiers of racism.' Some resolutions have drawn strong protests: one that described Zionism as a form of racism, adopted in 1975, was revoked in 1991.
From the 1960s, the Economic and Social Council (Ecosoc), which reports to the GA, pioneered the participation of civil society organisations in international discussions, which until then had been the preserve of diplomats mandated by governments. Ecosoc created the status of 'non-governmental organisation', giving them access to UN meetings and negotiations, and allowing them to express an opinion, write reports and designate representatives (who do not have decision-making powers); the term NGO has passed into common use. Ecosoc has accredited some 1,300 NGOs and established a system to facilitate interaction with civil society organisations (3).
Political influence
The GA provides a forum for NGOs to express their views. The World Ocean Summit, hosted by the GA in New York this June, is an example: for nearly a decade, NGOs have been taking part in discussions hosted by the GA before a revision of the Convention on the Law of the Sea (4). In GA president Thomson's view, 'the resolutions the General Assembly adopted are proof that it is in no way obsolete, and that it continues to exert political influence on the international scene.' Peggy Kalas, coordinator of the High Seas Alliance, a partnership of NGOs, agrees: 'We have worked hand in hand with governments, and the UN's Oceans and Law of the Sea websitereflects our views and our proposals.'But though the GA provides a forum for civil society, the representativeness of the partners it chooses is questionable, since civil society is not governed by electoral legitimacy.
According to historian Paul Kennedy, the GA is the closest we have to a world parliament (5). The Security Council cannot claim to serve as a global forum, though it rules on crises that threaten world peace in accordance with the UN charter. The same is true of the Group of Twenty (G20), whose membership is arbitrary: it was formed relatively recently, and is still controlled by the great powers that created it. India and South Africa are now members, but only because they have been co-opted by rich countries. Dessima Williams said: 'The GA manages national interests in an equitable way: there is no room for colonialism.We encounter no obstacles to our right to speak. Though some of the smaller countries don't have the resources to go into issues in depth.'In 2005 the World Summit organised on Secretary-General Kofi Annan's initiative confirmed the GA's status as a principal organ of the UN and made it a real 'parliament of man' — a G193.
The General Assembly building in New York flanked by flags of the UN member states
Bruce Yuanyue Bi · Getty
Arnaud Guillois of the French foreign ministry's UN department said: 'Multilateralism doesn't happen automatically. You need tools to build a dialogue and get the great powers to understand that it's in their interest to discuss things. That is the fairly unique function of the General Assembly.' The huge annual Climate Change Conference is a creation of the UN. In 2015 every member state, even the biggest polluters, felt obliged to sit at the negotiating table, even if the final resolution adopted in Paris was not entirely satisfactory. Thomson said: 'Majorities are made up of little countries; you have to take account of them. We have made significant progress on climate change this year. And, contrary to what one might have feared, the US's withdrawal from the Paris agreement has actually unitedthe international community even more strongly on the major issues.President Trump's decision will have the opposite effect from the one he expected.' At the Glass House, some delegates talk freely of their resentment of rich countries reluctant to accept their responsibilities towards the South.
The debates and decisions on development illustrate the strengths and limitations of the GA. In September 2000 the UN launched the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to guide the struggle against poverty. Early results appear significant: the number of people living in extreme poverty has fallen from 1.9 billion to 840 million, though the world population has grown from six billion to 7.5 billion. Improvement in health, education, nutrition and access to essential services seems indisputable (6). However, the results vary considerably between continents and do not reflect the growing inequalities between and within countries. The MDGs were revised in 2015 to take account of climate factors, and better reflect realities on the ground. They have been replaced with 17 Sustainable Development Goals (no poverty, zero hunger, quality education, gender equality). As an illustration of the political importance of the SDGs, 70 countries negotiated their definitions, and eight million people responded to a survey. The 2030 Agenda, which maps the path to the SDGs, has the support of China, which sees it as a step towards the more balanced global partnership it considers necessary (7).
The 'Washington consensus'
This falls far short of the New International Economic Order (NIEO) that the UN once set out to establish. In 1974 the GA adopted a bold declaration calling for a division of wealth at global level and a change of economic strategy, to be steered by the UN: the stabilisation of raw material prices, sovereignty over national resources, better terms of trade. The NIEO failed because of two oil crises, soaring debt in the South, and a lack of commitment by the great powers. Its abandonment is also a sign of change in the ideological balance of power that extends beyond the GA, a weakening of Third-Worldism and, perhaps, the lack of transparency around the participation of NGOs, which can be encouraged to co-operate by the offer of a seat at the negotiating table.
From the 1980s, neoliberal ideology began to prevail under the 'Washington consensus'. As the economist Pierre Jacquemot wrote, 'hopes of a great transformation[through the SDGs] were not founded on a clear analysis of the underlying reasons for the inequalities they aimed to eliminate: unequal trade, extreme financialisation, declining biodiversity' (8).The SDGs have not escaped the technocratic tendencies of modern organisations, which have a fondness for impenetrable acronyms, finicky costing, and an approach to monitoring guided solely by the principles of accountancy. Like many decision-making bodies, the GA has become bureaucratic, according to Noam Chomsky, who told us he had observed the same tendency in the US Congress.
Among the blind spots of the global system are the international financial institutions: the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund developed independently of the UN, after the Bretton Woods conference of July 1944. (The UN was established a few months later, in San Francisco.) Unlike specialised UN agencies and institutions, such as the World Health Organisation and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and UN programmes for development or the environment, these financial institutions are not bound bythe common rules of the UN system. They operate on a contribution basis, which gives the decision-making power to rich countries, and have always refused to be supervised by Ecosoc. The UN must negotiate with them at the spring conferences Ecosoc has organised since 1998, which make it possible to coordinate while respecting their separate roles.
Though they remain autonomous, the financial institutions are trying to improve relations with the UN (9). World Bank president Jim Yong Kim came to the GA in May to discuss the financing of the SDGs. France's permanent representative at the UN, François Delattre, believes 'proactive attitudes make up for the structural deficiencies.' Thomson uses all his prerogatives as president to encourage member states to contribute funds. Ireland's representative at the UN, David Donoghue, said: 'We are grateful to the president for devoting so much energy to the SDGs and making them such a central focus of the UN's work.' As Thomson's presidency lasts only one year, he needs to ensure continuity by maintaining a good working relationship with UN's new secretary-general António Guterres, whose term is five years.
Thomson said: 'Everyone should be aware that we are walking on a cliff-edge, because of the lack of sustainable development,' and should contribute necessary funding. 'It's the member states who must pay. The General Assembly can only set a course and highlight the issues at stake. My role is to give my successor a few starting points so that they can continue the work.' Since it cannot coerce, the GA's role is to organise social pressure to encourage member states, which remain sovereign, to change their stance. 'That is what's at stake, for example, in discussions of the rights of sexual minorities,' said Delattre. 'We need to form an international consensus.' Countries such as Saudi Arabia, condemned for human rights abuse, are required to submit reports to the UN Human Rights Council, giving ammunition to NGOs and activists who want to force their regimes to change. But there has been occasional absurdity, such as when Saudi Arabia got elected to the women's rights commission this May.
The UN is mentioned in the media more often for its bureaucracy and the abuses committed by some peacekeepers (10) than because of its daily work. 'The Security Council gets the attention, but you could say that the General Assembly is the hidden face of the UN, the heart of the reactor,' said Delattre, adding that France supports the multilateral framework and the UN system. The GA is a sounding box for major issues.
Debating terrorism since 1972
Though the Security Council took charge of the fight against terror while the ruins of the World Trade Centre were still smoking, the GA held the first international debate on terrorism in 1972. In September 2006 it adopted a global strategy without a common definition of terrorism, because there was no consensus on the use of violence by Palestinians in territories occupied by Israel. The strategy recommends attention be paid to background factors of terrorism, including conflict, political exclusion and socioeconomic marginalisation. It provides a framework for national as well as regional antiterrorist initiatives, even if some oppressive legislation adopted by states goes against commitments made in New York. But the Palestinians, accused of terrorism by Israel, were able to use the GA to bring the violence they suffer to public attention.
Over the last few years, governments have entrusted more tasks to the office of the president, especially the organisation of high-level meetings and the nomination of facilitators during crises, such as the 2015 refugee crisis. Greek diplomat Ioannis Vrailas, a special adviser in the office of the president, believes this indicates a recognition of the GA's work and its ability to coordinate different aspects of each case. Vrailas, formerly deputy head of the European Union's delegation to the UN, told us that 'development is a tool for preventing conflicts.' The GA's expertise allows it to coordinate specialised agencies and programmes in health, development and the environment.
In 2016 Guterres's election as secretary-general gave him an unprecedented role. Delegates had traditionally approved the Security Council's recommended candidate without a vote, but several demanded a more transparent election. The candidates were auditioned in public, while the president of the GA negotiated the wording of the final resolution with the Security Council. The strengthening of the role of the GA also indicated the weakening of the consensus among the great powers because of tension over the Syrian crisis. Richard Atwood of International Crisis Group said: 'By circumventing or violating international law, the western interventions in Kosovo [1999] and Libya [2011] led to a loss of trust among the five permanent members regarding the rules on the use of force.'
On 9 December 2016 the GA, faced with a stalemate on the Security Council, adopted a resolution calling on states to respect international humanitarian law in Syria and especially to allow aid organisations access. This kind of intervention is very rare: in principle the Security Council is responsible for maintaining peace in specific situations (11).
The GA is the only representative body for the planet, yet it is not a world parliament: only elections could give it the legitimacy of a parliament in a democratic state and that is probably unrealistic. However, the GA is unique in its ability to reflect change in international relations (the surprise election of Thomson, the mobilisation of small states and China) and in its values, derived from the UN charter, harnessing the desire for power in the service of collective security. At a time when the redrawing of the geopolitical map is raising tensions, it is, despite imperfections, the only forum conducive to the establishment of a progressive international order.
LMD-New York University
In discussion
The Albertine Bookshop, in partnership with Le Monde diplomatique and New York University, invites you to join Anne-Cécile Robert, Le Monde diplomatique's development director, and UN specialist Romuald Sciora for a discussion on the United Nations General Assembly. Their new essay on this theme, 'Where the world goes to talk it over', is published here, in Le Monde diplomatique's English edition.
They will be joined by Tomas Anker Christensen, Dr Michael J Williams, Pamela Falk and France's UN ambassador François Delattre.
Friday 6 October 2017 at 7.00pm, Albertine Bookshop, 972 5th Avenue, New York NY 10075
Reserve your free place.
Anne-Cécile Robert & Romuald Sciora
Anne-Cécile Robert is development director of Le Monde diplomatique; Romuald Sciora is a Franco-American journalist and made the documentary A la Maison de Verre — L'ONU et ses Secrétaires Généraux (In the Glass House — the UN and its Secretaries-General).
(1) Extract from her course 'Organisations internationales et gouvernance mondiale' at the Institut de Relations Internationales et Stratégiques (IRIS) in Paris.
(2) See the Dag Hammarskjöld Library.
(3) The Integrated Civil Society Organisations System and the Non-Governmental Liaison Service.
(4) See 'Oceans 2015 Initiative' supplement, Le Monde diplomatique, English edition, December 2015.
(5) SeePaul Kennedy, The Parliament of Man: the Past, Present, and Future of the United Nations, Random House, New York, 2006.
(6) 'The Millennium Development Goals Report', United Nations, New York, 2015.
(7) Meeting organised by the president of the GA, 18 April 2017.
(8) Pierre Jacquemot, 'Que faut-il attendre des Objectifs du développement durable?' (What should we expect from the Sustainable Development Goals?), IRIS, Paris, 29 September 2015.
(9) International financial institutions are represented on the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination.
(10) See Sandra Szurek, 'Going to war to keep the peace', Le Monde diplomatique, English edition, March 2017.
(11) The GA resorted to the 'Uniting for Peace' resolution (or Dean Acheson resolution, after the US secretary of state who inspired it during the Korean war).
A global forum
The General Assembly (GA)'s position as the UN's policy decision-making body is defined in chapter IV of the UN charter. According to article 10, the GA 'may discuss any questions or any matters within the (...) →
français — Dans les coulisses de l'Assemblée générale des Nations unies
Español — Entre bastidores en la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas
Esperanto — En la kulisoj de la Ĝenerala Asembleo de la Unuiĝintaj Nacioj
日本語 — 国連総会の舞台裏
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Here is a terrific article you should definitely read: "Where the world goes to talk it over", by Anne-Cécile Robert & Romuald Sciora (open access, September 2017) // https://mondediplo.com/8663
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In our first episode, we speak with Māori filmmaker Heperi Mita about his documentary Merata: How Mum Decolonised the Screen, with which he revives his mother's spirit years after her death.
Having an abundance of resources, Hepi Mita rummages through archival footage of his mother and interviews his older siblings to discover Merata's story and to understand her journey as a Māori filmmaker, social activist, and mother. Merata Mita was the first indigenous female and Māori filmmaker to write and direct a feature film, Mauri (1988).
This pursuit of discovery results in him stepping into her footstep and taking on her mission, both as a filmmaker and voice for indigenous people, to shine light on injustices and partake in creating a more just world.


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Uma Thurman Bang Showbiz
Uma Thurman fined for failing to provide for employees
UMA Thurman has been fined $72,000 by the Workmen's Compensation Board of the State of New York in March 2013 after being found to have failed to carry workers compensation insurance.
The 'Kill Bill' actress was issued with the penalty by the Workmen's Compensation Board of the State of New York in March 2013 after being found to have failed to carry workers compensation insurance between December 15 2011 and December 14 2012.
And documents obtained by RadarOnline.com show a judge has ruled she must pay the fine, as well as acquire workmen's compensation insurance that was in line with New York State laws.
The 43-year-old actress - who has children Maya, 14, and Levon, 10, with ex-husband Ethan Hawke, and Luna, 18 months, with partner Arpad Busson - recently splashed out $10 million on a new apartment in an exclusive New York complex that was previously owned by best-selling novelist Barbara Taylor Bradford and her filmmaker husband Robert.
Uma had to pass rigorous home co-operative board approvals before being given the go-ahead to continue with the sale.
The 'Nymphomaniac' actress sold her seven-bedroom New York townhouse for $12 million last year.
The River House complex where her new apartment is located is so exclusive actresses and socialites such as Diane Keaton and Gloria Vanderbilt have been refused permission to move into the building.
Legendary star Joan Crawford reportedly commissioned a neon Pepsi sign which is visible to River House residents across the East River because she was so furious at having her application vetoed.
However, the board are said to have slightly relaxed their tough approval process.
Susan Sarandon has no regrets about leaving Tim Robbins
Philip Seymour Hoffman's autopsy inconclusive
Taylor Swift will not strip off for photo shoot
Author's book wins gay sci-fi US award
Joan Rivers officiated impromptu gay marriage at book event
Joan Rivers blasts 'grand' stars
Ethan Hawke not hoping for Oscar wins
fined uma thurman


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BlogHome » Free Apama Community Edition from…
Free Apama Community Edition from Software AG
Written By: Ronnie Beggs
Also posted on: The IM Blog
Streaming analytics is an exciting emerging market. It enables enterprises to respond in real-time to context-aware insights from fast data generated by sensors, the web, mobile devices and networks for example. It also has a foothold across all industries from capital markets, retail and healthcare, to telecoms and the Internet of Things. Yet as with any new technology, widespread enterprise adoption depends on a range of factors from general awareness and skills to cost-benefit and perceived risk. But the bottom line is that the easier a technology is to use, and the fewer obstacles to production use, the better.
Which as I understand it, is precisely the thinking behind Software AG's introduction of the Apama Community Edition. Stream processing and streaming analytics is a powerful technology, used widely by those in the know, yet knowledge of data stream processing and streaming analytics within the wider enterprise world is growing, but is still relatively low. Software AG has rightly identified this as a barrier to further adoption of the technology in general. With Apama, Software AG already has a mature, enterprise proven platform for streaming analytics, with an extensive customer base across many industry sectors, plus an existing and healthy user community.
Of course, Software AG is not the first enterprise company to introduce a Community or Freemium model. Not all have been successful, and some have been half-hearted at best, with product offerings driven by fear of revenue erosion, that become so restrictive as to be useless in any reasonable production environment. And therefore unlikely to gain any level of community adoption.
The success or failure of a Community model hinges on the organisation's ability to build a community of users around the product. Seems straightforward in theory but in practice this is where most community initiatives fall short. Two aspects of the Apama Community model stood out, indicating that Software AG is heading in the right direction:
(1) First, the Apama Community Edition can be downloaded without registration. It may be a small thing, but immediately addresses any concerns around the prospect of endless sales calls for months to come. Once downloaded, Software AG is also investing in self-enablement tools that are made available through the Apama Community website (www.apamacommunity.com), including tutorials, videos, a Q&A forum and online product documentation.
(2) Second, performance. There are some differences between the Apama Community Edition and the full enterprise version of course, but the Community Edition is fully featured and with the throughput and latency performance required to deliver production solutions for the majority of performance requirements seen in today's market.
We believe that Software AG has got it right and understands the parameters of the community model – this requires a degree of altruism, the willingness to educate and to take satisfaction rather than revenue from the use of its products. That's not denying that there remains the hope that deployments will grow to the level where enterprise licensing is attractive.
This struck us as an initiative that is being done for the right reasons, by a company who understands the need to educate the wider market on the power of an emerging technology, and who has the confidence to free the reins and deliver a platform that can be used for free in production for a sensible range of use cases.


1958. Incised script, Hull, USA A series mold id number. 15 shapes in an ovenproof line with high gloss mint green or azure blue with a light tough of foam edge. In addition there was the textures or semi-matte finished glaze with white lids or companion pieces such as shakers or cruets.


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Leland DeMars
d. May 23, 2021
Lee (Butch) DeMars was born to Lyman (Cye) and Leona DeMars on April 24th 1940 in the Neche Hospital. He lived his early years on his Grandpa and Grandma DeMars' farm in rural Bathgate. His family moved to Pembina where he graduated from High School. Lee and his family moved to Neche in 1961 where he met Linda Guenther and they were married on November 9th 1963.
To this union 5 children were born: Kerry (Carole) Grafton, ND; Kelly (Carole) Warren, MN; Kevin (Janette) Fargo, ND; Kim of Neche, ND; Kristopher of Neche, ND; 8 Grandchildren: Cyndi (Skip) Schreffler; Kylle (Katie) DeMars; Fauna (Grant) Asp; Jazmyn (Justin) Johnson; Kaely (Jack) Nerby; Addie DeMars; Alyssa (TJ) Erickson; Nicole DeMars; 9 Great Grandchildren: Theodore DeMars; Selah, Arrie, Ella Mae, Jewel Asp; Boe Hailey, Jolene Johnson, Baby Nerby.
Lee chose farming as his career. He was employed by Russel Vosper and Dick Hardy for 30+ years. He farmed into his 70's finishing off his career with Wilwand Farms driving brand new John Deere combines. What a way to go out.
He loved his city. He served as an alderman and then the mayor for 16 years. He was instrumental in the forming of the Neche Economic Committee. He hosted the league of cities welcoming all city councils from the entire state. He loved the administration part, but you could find him on the front lines battling the floods in the spring and on the snowplow cleaning streets in the winter. He was chosen to receive the states first outstanding mayor award. He was a member of the Neche Fire Department and one of the founding members of the Neche Quick Response.
His real passion was singing. He was the go to man for singing at wedding and funerals. He sang in the church choir, community cantatas, and was one of the original members of Gospel Theater. He sang with a barbershop quartet for many years, where one of the highlights was to introduce the barbershop sound to the students at school, where he also incorporated his sons into the quartet. He was proud of joining with his son Kevin to record an album, where you could not tell one voice from the other. His final singing career was with his daughter Kim where they sang gospel music concerts all over the county and beyond. To include churches, fairs, nursing and special needs homes and homeless shelters. They even got to sing on the River Boat Cruise in Grand Forks.
He felt by sharing his voice it was bringing Glory to God. His signature song was The Lord's Prayer. Lee went to the Lord on Sunday May 23rd, 2021. He was preceded in death by his parents Lyman and Leona DeMars and his son Kristopher.
A celebration of life service will be held at the Park Center Cemetery, Thursday May 27th 2021 at 2:00 pm. Visitation will be held 1 hour prior to the service. The family prefers no flowers. Bring your own chair. A time of fellowship will follow at the Neche Fire Hall. Please come and join us.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Leland DeMars, please visit our flower store.
1:00 - 2:00pm (Central time)
Sts. Nereus and Achilleus Catholic Church
E 6th St, Neche, ND 58265
Park Center Cemetery
109th St NE, Neche, ND


PAC Display is a Windows-based HMI development application to create graphical interfaces that mimic a process. Support is included for alarm management, recipe handling, operator logging, real-time and historical trending, multimedia, and unlimited tags. The software includes a built-in library of 3,000 industrial automation graphics.
Part of the PAC Project software suite, PAC Display is integrated with PAC Control, the flowchart-based control development software with optional scripting. All tags created in PAC Control, such as I/O points and variables, are automatically available for use in PAC Display.


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This is the time to study Noah, when the waters are rising.
"Aseh l'cha tevah," God said. Make yourself an ark.
On the front end of dawn, there are no distinctions between water and land and sky.
Only mist and darkness.
Distinctions emerge later, riding on a flood of sunlight.
Distinctions and information require choices.
The sea is calm this morning. The waves are gentle.
The data are in, said our local county supervisor this week.
The sea is rising. Erosion is threatening the coast.
We need to act to preserve our community.
If I listen hard,
I can hear echoes of other voices in communities around the planet,
saying the same thing.
"Make yourself a tevah," God said. An ark.
Translate "tevah" as "word," said our teacher the Holy Baal Shem Tov.
Build yourself an ark of prayer and knowledge and kindness and faith —
and the floods in your own day will not overwhelm you.
You will live to witness the fulfillment of God's covenant:
the world will not be destroyed again.
It will not.
Hold on to this faith, even when all you can see is mist and darkness.
But build yourself a tevah.
Now it's our turn.
We need a tevah big enough to include every person and all life.
We can only build it together.
We need action infused with love.
The lesson of Noah: get ready.
Emerging from mist and darkness: the rainbow.
Essay & photos by Aryae Coopersmith
I settled down on the couch to relax and read
with my late afternoon tea and popcorn.
Then you came clawing your way up.
Purring, butting your head against my arm,
you demanded what we both knew was rightfully yours.
I tried to ignore you but I couldn't.
I tried to roll you over on your back and rub your belly,
but you swiped at me and backed off.
You would have none of it. First things first.
"Okay," I said, "popcorn!"
You, with the ailing teeth of an old cat, had trained me well,
making it clear that you couldn't handle big pieces
by spitting them out and
covering the cushion with drool-soaked half-eaten popcorn.
So I broke off a little piece, just the way you liked it,
and set it on the cushion.
It was gone in a flash,
and there you were purring, butting your head against my arm.
It was many little pieces until you were done.
Then you rolled over on your back,
inviting me to place my arm on your furry belly
while you placed your paws around my arm.
Wendy said it best, "It's not the popcorn; it's the love."
That's how our afternoons went.
I bring my tea and popcorn to the living room
with that familiar, half-conscious feeling of excitement
that comes from knowing how excited you will be.
But the room is empty.
Then the dark recognition — you're not here.
You died yesterday in Wendy's arms.
We put your furry body, still warm,
in a little box and set it with flowers on the table.
I look at my bowl of popcorn.
Today I don't want any.
So I put it up on the table, near the flowers
where your box was.
My tears are still hidden,
like a tiny spring high in the hills
that has yet to become a river.
As I drink my tea
while my book sits next to me unopened,
I can hear you purring
and feel your head bumping against me.
No really, I can.
"What do you want?" I say.
And I can feel the answer:
now it's your turn to feed me my popcorn.
I reach my hand toward the bowl.
It's not the popcorn; it's the love.
The Moment Has Come
Eight years ago when our cat Kislev was sick, I wrote a poem for her. We were blessed that she lived eight more years. But she died this morning. She had spent the night sleeping by Wendy's side, then got up and, feisty as ever, screeched and swiped at the other cat. Then she was gone.
We put her in a little box on our living room table, surrounded by flowers and a candle. Wendy will be taking her to the vet this afternoon for cremation.
The poem I wrote for her eight years ago still resonates today.
When the moment comes
you leap lightening-swift
and disappear into the bushes.
Then you trot into the house,
tail in the air, bearing your gift for all to admire:
a wounded hummingbird.
We bury the bird out back, under the lemon tree.
You follow with your tail wagging, watching intently.
As we're digging the hole,
you turn and leap into the herb garden to chase a dragonfly.
We get a bell and hesitantly buckle it to your neck,
hoping to save humming birds without shackling your spirit.
Next morning at dawn
as I sit meditating on the deck overlooking the ocean,
I hear a tinkling bell, feel a soft thud on my lap,
hear purring in my ears, and feel drool on my hands.
Now I know:
your spirit is not to be shackled.
The bell becomes part of you.
All of us, Wendy and I and the other cats,
look up whenever we hear the tinkles
that announce your entry.
Then you arrive, tail wagging and eyes bright,
scanning us, the other cats' food bowls,
and everything that flies, crawls or moves.
No matter where you look or leap,
you expect, and receive, only good.
When you perch on the deck railing
watching the flying birds with such intensity,
you seem like,
were it not for the laws of physics
tied like a bell around your neck,
you would take off and fly with them.
So little and so young,
you've became our teacher.
Then you get sick.
You breathe fast, look panicked, hide under the bed.
Wendy takes off your bell.
"We tried to drain her lungs but it's not working,"
the vet tells us by phone three days later.
Tomorrow's decision:
try to keep her alive with expensive, painful, uncertain surgery,
or let her go now?
Wendy and I sit in silence on the couch,
the one where you love to sit between us.
We pray, cry, hold each other.
The next morning, at dawn, I'm back on the deck, seeking guidance.
Who knows the moment of death? Who can decide?
Now I can see you on the railing,
tail wagging as you look out at the vast expanse before you,
no longer encumbered by the bell around your neck,
eyes intently ahead, quivering with excitement,
ready to leap when the moment comes.
The Day Before Yom Kippur
A Jewish Christmas
I posted these reflections on December 25, 2021, during my involvement with the "8 Candles Sanctuary," an interfaith group within the ServiceSpace community.
For those of us who grew up Jewish in the U.S., relating to Christmas can be complicated.
So I spent time this Christmas writing some reflections about the evolution of my "Jewish Christmas" and sharing them with friends in the "Eight Candles Cathedral." It's a community of eight people from diverse religious backgrounds, lead by Rev. Charles Gibbs, holding space as an experiment for an emerging interfaith practice.
I'd like to also share these reflections here with you.
My Great-Grandparents
For generations of Jews living in Eastern Europe, Christmas — sadly — was a time where they experienced hate and fear from Catholic priests and Christian neighbors who labeled them as "Christ killers." And on Christmas the emotions and behaviors toward "Christ killers" could be especially strong. People could spit at Jews in public with no consequences. And the Jews would often return the favor, when no one was watching, by spitting at the local Church.
My Grandparents
When my dad was a kid in the 1920s growing up on New York's Lower East Side, the most important task for his parents, my Grandpa Harry and Grandma Rose, other than putting bread on the table everyday, was learning how to raise their kids to be "real Americans," so that they'd be able to get ahead and prosper here.
Christmas presented a challenge. On the one hand, they had learned from their parents that it was their sacred duty as Jews to not have anything to do with Christmas.
On the other hand, they also saw it as their sacred duty to become good Americans. And everyone knew that Christmas was one of the most high-profile American holidays. So how to distance themselves from the Christian Christmas, while participating in the "American" Christmas? Or to put it another way, how to celebrate Christmas as Jews here in America?
The answer for them — together with many other immigrant Jewish families on the Lower East Side — take the family out for a Chinese dinner and then go a movie! The Chinese immigrant families, who also were not Christian, would go to work and keep their restaurants open on Christmas. And like the Jewish families, they were not yet accepted as "real Americans," and were struggling to offer better lives to their children. So they were natural allies.
The custom spread to Jewish communities throughout the U.S., and continues to this day — even as Wendy and I have often enjoyed a Chinese meal with Jewish friends on Christmas, followed by a good movie. 🙂
My Parents
My parents and many of their friends were the visible result of the success of their parents: affluent, living in the suburbs in homes of their own, preparing their children to enter college.
I grew up in an affluent suburban community of mostly white Protestants. There were very few Jews. My parents, Sam and Flo, held two important sets of values for themselves and their children. First, to be proud of our Jewish heritage, and celebrate it. Second, to blend in with the larger community as loyal, successful Americans.
So when December came around, we would first celebrate Hanukkah, and my brothers and I would get a present each night for eight nights. Not bad for a kid! Then when Christmas came around we would get a Christmas tree, decorate it, and put it in the window, just like all the neighbors. Only we would call it a "Hanukkah bush!" Then we kids got to hang our stockings under the tree on Christmas Eve, and on Christmas morning, like all the other kids in the neighborhood, we'd get to run downstairs with great excitement and see what presents Santa had brought for us. Wow! Not only did we get as many presents as our Christian neighbors, we got even more!
The problem with my parents' Jewish Christmas was, that by the time I was in my teens, it all seemed pretty hollow and meaningless.
My best friend in high school was Tony. My father was a Republican Conservative Jew. His was a Communist atheist Jew.
When we started school every morning Tony and I had to participate, like everyone else, in saying the (Christian) Lord's Prayer. And as Christmas season approached, we were expected to join all the other students in singing Christmas carols at assemblies.
During our Junior year, we decided that we'd had enough. We no longer wanted to participate in these activities that didn't reflect who we were. So we began sitting silently during the Lords Prayer, and during Christmas carols. For a while no one bothered us, and everything seemed okay.
But things came to a head at the French Club Christmas Party. Our French teacher, a crusty middle-aged woman who had grown up in Nazi Germany and came to the U.S. after the War, would often remind us how disciplined and obedient teenagers were in Germany when she was our age. She required that all French students, if we wanted to pass her class and graduate high school, had to attend her Christmas party. Tony and I weren't thrilled about this, but we didn't see any alternative, so we reluctantly showed up.
Somehow we wound up sitting in the front row as the teacher sat down at the piano, sang French Christmas carols, and accompanied herself. And she had made it clear that she expected us to sing along with her, in a good French accent. For Tony and me this was too much. We burst out laughing.
The teacher banged on the piano, stopped the music, and turned around with flames coming out of her nostrils. "Human scum! Human scum!" she screamed. "Out! Out of my class!"
Tony and I grabbed our stuff and ran, laughing all the way. We wound up downstairs, in the men's locker room, drawing graffiti on the walls that were not very flattering to the French teacher.
Soon the gym teacher came along. "What's this, men?" he asked. When we finally explained, he insisted on marching us upstairs and watching as we apologized to the French teacher.
"We're sorry for writing graffiti that disrespected you," I said.
"Yeah," said Tony, "and we're sorry we called you a Nazi bitch."
The good news — somehow we made it through high school.
Years later when I was living in San Francisco at the House of Love and Prayer, saying the traditional Hebrew prayers three times a day, I came to appreciate the human universality of the longing to connect with the Infinite. Catholics, Hindus, Buddhists, Sufis and Sikhs would come visit, and we'd all pray together.
My teacher Reb Shlomo said, "we're all on the same path; we're just wearing different shoes." There was no problem of a Jewish Christmas, any more than of a Christian Hanukah. As Reb Zalman and Matthew Fox together taught, "deep ecumenism" is about each of us learning more about our own spiritual journeys, thru the depth of experiencing something of each others'.
Father John
Fast forward a few decades, and it's Christmas Eve in Half Moon Bay. My friends Richard and Martha, devout Catholics, invited me to join them for Midnight Mass at their church. As a Jew, I had never been to a Catholic mass before and I didn't know if it would be right for me to be there. But it was a sacred event that they were inviting me to, and they were good friends and I trusted them, so I said sure.
When we got to the Church, Richard and Martha introduced me to Father John, the priest who would be conducting the Mass. He welcomed me very courteously and made me feel at home. But that was nothing compared to what was to come.
The Mass began, and I was surprised to notice how closely it seemed to track with the traditional Hebrew prayers. I recognized some of the same Psalms, in the same order.
But then it came time for Holy Communion. I knew that as a non-Catholic I could not be included, and would have to sit this one out, while everyone else went up for Communion. Father John picked up the wine cup and said the prayer in Latin. Then, looking into the crowd of worshipers, straight at me, he repeated the blessing, this time in Hebrew.
No one else in the church may have understood what he was saying or doing, but I did. He was recognizing my presence, and honoring me me by including me. It was an act of courtesy that I'll never forget, a special Jewish Christmas!
Father John and I became friends after that, and would sometimes go up to San Francisco together to go to the movies.
Based on recent writings by both Christian and Jewish scholars, I have come to a deeper appreciation of Jesus. Of how Jesus can be seen historically as a radically creative first century rabbi who in his day was teaching Torah — in new ways — to Jews. And how the core values of Torah — love God, love your neighbor, love the stranger — can be brought to everyone.
So a Christmas question that this Jew is holding now: how do I want to relate to Rabbi Jesus?
A Jewish Christmas Now
So this year I'm grateful to my friends in the the Eight Candles Cathedral for holding a "place" where I can celebrate Christmas. And to friends in the greater ServiceSpace community, in the Torah Circle, OWL, and communities everywhere, who are committed to the reality that, in Reb Zalman's words: "the only way we're going to get it together, is together." And I look forward to the new ways of celebrating Christmas, and all of our traditions, that are emerging.
A Christmas Eve in Half Moon Bay
Some 20 years ago, on Christmas Eve, my friends Richard and Martha, devout Catholics, invited me to join them for Midnight Mass at their church. As a Jew, I had never been to a Catholic mass before and I didn't know if it would be right for me to be there. But it was a sacred event that they were inviting me to, and they were good friends and I trusted them, so I said sure.
No one else in the church may have understood what he was saying or doing, but I did. He was recognizing my presence, and honoring me me by including me. It was an act of courtesy that I'll never forget.
29 Tammuz
Smallest of Mountains — Shavuot 5781
Aquarian Minyan – "Roots of Renewal" Series — Aryae Coopersmith
Run with the unexpected
Lesson in a Dress Factory
I've been blessed with many role models for guiding my values. My father, Sam Coopersmith, was the earliest.
He was the youngest child of Jewish immigrant parents who came to the U.S. from Europe when they were in their teens. Growing up in a neighborhood of crowded tenements on New York's Lower East Side, young Sam's dream was to attend college, become an accountant, and be able to live comfortably with a family of his own in a nice house in a nice neighborhood away from the city.
But the hard times of the Great Depression put an end to that dream. Like everyone else during the the depression, he had to work wherever he could find it. After he married my mother Florence, her father, my Grandpa Max, gave Sam a job as a shipping clerk in his dress factory in Jersey City. Sam was hard working, smart, and ambitious, learned the business quickly and soon was able to open up a dress factory of his own.
His business thrived, and my two younger brothers and I grew up in a nice house in that quiet, affluent suburban town that my father had dreamed about.
For a few weeks each summer when I was a teenager, I'd ride to work with my father at 5:30 AM, travelling on the Jersey Turnpike as the sun was rising, from our quiet, tree-lined little town, to the grimy, grey, industrial section of Jersey City. I got to earn some money, and he got to educate me about the family business. I started as he had, as a shipping clerk.
And I got to see his values on full display, in his kindness to his workers. He seemed to be on close personal terms with every one of his hundred or so employees. The union would repeatedly try to organize his workforce, but they never made much headway. Because on his own he always paid them higher wages, and offered better benefits, than the union contract offered. It was clear to me what he was about: work hard, show an interest in people, and treat them well, always be honest, and always keep your word.
One day a guy in a very fancy suit came into the factory, and asked me where Sam was. I pointed to the loft above us, above the factory floor, reachable by a creaky wooden stairway. The man thanked me and walked up.
I had never seen anyone dressed like that in the factory, so I was curious. I went up to a dark place in back of my father's office where there was a crack between the boards and I could see in and hear what was being said.
"Sam," the man was saying, "the Boss sent me here because he really doesn't understand why you're not using our trucking services. And between you and me, I don't think he's going to be patient much longer. You understand?"
It didn't take me long to figure out what was going on. Most of us growing up in Northern Jersey in the 1950s knew about the Mafia. But I had never seen them. Now I could see it — the Mafia was right here, putting the squeeze on my dad!
"Look Mario," Sam said, "I understand your point, I really do. But like I told you before, my hands are tied. My contract with my customer (a department store chain) says I have to use their trucking. I can show it to you if you want."
Mario shook his head, waved him away, and they went back and forth for a while. Then Sam went and opened up a cabinet, and pulled out an elaborately wrapped present. "Mario, I think your wedding anniversary is coming up later this month, am I right?" He was right. "I think your wife will really like this," he said. Mario took the present.
"And by the way, I know the boss' son has a birthday coming up. He's a Yankee's fan, right? I think he'll like these. Great seats, right behind first base." And he have him an envelope with the tickets. They talked some more and Mario left.
I didn't mention anything to my father as we drove back home at sunset. I knew he wouldn't me to know about such things. But I saw what I saw, and knew what I knew. My father had managed to avoid the clutches of the Mafia, not only because of his street-smarts, which clearly were considerable, but mainly because of the way he cared about, and understood, people.
From Guri: Nurse Donates Her Kidney
This is Guri's "senseless love" story that she sent in for my birthday.
Aryae's 77th
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Lincoln Project July 9, 2020
Posted on May 3, 2020 September 28, 2022
Reb Aryae's Rules of Rebitude
The more you grow, the less space you occupy.
The less you say, the bigger your message.
The more you know you don't know, the clearer the guidance.
The less you possess, the more you have to give.
Innkeepers
A poem for Wendy on her 57th Birthday.
Day 11: Road Trip of the Imagination


I've been using LW primarily on my desktop which is a dual 2.7ghz g5 with 2g ram and an ati x800 card and have been fairly happy with this setup. Only thing is that for one of my projects I'm working with really high poly objects in modeler and things are slowed down to a crawl when I work on this. So I'm thinking of upgrading soon so I can improve the real time 3d feedback while working in modeler... I'm not so concerned about rendering speed.
So my question is, if I get the new 8core 3ghz mac pro with 4g ram and the ati x1900 card, will I see a pretty significant step up in performance when working in modeler? Anybody who has this type of setup, what is the highest poly object you can work with in modeler before it slows down drastically?? Please help because if the new setup will be a significant improvement then I need to put in my order soon.
So my question is, if I get the new 8core 3ghz mac pro with 4g ram and the ati x1900 card, will I see a pretty significant step up in performance when working in modeler?
Is the released version of 9.2 UB?
I've got an 8 core - About how much faster is the UB version going to be?
Considering that the non-UB does not run on Intel processors natively and has to be emulated, the UB will run MUCH faster.


In November of 1972, I sat on the concrete stoop, or rather, the pad that passed as a porch on our little house in Belton, Texas, and I mourned as monarch butterflies filled the sun-filled air in front of me. They were leaving for the winter; I was simply leaving. I could feel tears wet on my face.
Behind me, the house was filled with boxes and furniture ready for the moving van that would come the next day. I'd left the white cord macrame curtain I'd tied in the wide front window. My gift to the house.
We, my sons and I, were moving to Germany to join my solder husband. The three years in Belton had filled themselves "to the brim" if one could say years could be filled like coffee cups. They had certainly been full. We'd moved from our first dark and cramped house to this one, filled with windows and light and while small, a happy house.
People say I do too much now, but ya shoulda known me then.
We built a big vegetable garden across the street in an empty lot; bought fresh milk and meat from a woman in the country; I churned our butter and baked all our bread; and in the meantime, worked in the women's movement and politics and started college and had a job in art therapy and raised the sons.
I sat, watching the butterflies, seeing my life as constant movement, wondering how I'd ever make sense of it all. Doris Lessing's The Golden Notebook lay open in my lap. I'd already read The Four-Gated City; Martha Quest, the lead character who was always wandering, was as familiar to me as my own skin.
I don't remember the character names in The Golden Notebook although the book still sits on my bookshelf along with several of her other books; but I remember the vision of notebooks. On that day, with butterflies and tears in my eyes, I decided to begin keeping a journal. Writing about sitting on that porch with butterflies filling the air and grief in my heart was the first post in the first notebook from over forty years ago. Now, there are shelves and shelves of notebooks.
And I remember Doris Lessing. And feeling her death brings up another grief, one, perhaps, as much for myself. Life, for humans and for butterflies, is so short regardless of how much you manage to press into it and how many years you live. She was ninety-four. I'm almost seventy. It's a weird thing to be almost seventy and I keep reminding myself of the fact. Which doesn't change, as Lessing was well aware.
Regardless of what she wrote and the many books she published, she was the real character. As, I suppose, I am in my writing. But not having her ahead of me is a little scary. Or, perhaps, just empty.
Thanks for the ping! And PS: if you're writing (even after a lag of twenty some days) you're a writer. At least I think that's how it works! All the best.
I know we really don't need any more reasons to meet in person…we know the universe wants it….but now we have Doris Lessing too? I was so sad to hear of her passing. The Golden Notebook had a huge impact on me in my early 20s. I think I need to re-read it. Thank you for writing this. It's just beautiful.
Re-reading The Golden Notebook may, indeed, give you the comfort/courage/insights you need at this time. Interesting, isn't it, how old books feel like old friends. And by this time, we're more or less old friends! Thanks so much for reading and for your kind words.
Oh, yea! Thanks for seeing the curtain. I can still see it after all these years, too. And yes, other than her professing to be a communist and atheist, Lessing and Day are very much alike. Thanks for your kind words and for reading the blog. I'm delighted to have you aboard!
Thanks so much for the ping back. Nice site you have!
Now there's a laugh out loud for my morning! Thanks, Sheila.


KABUL (Pajhwok): Insecurity and negative traditions have a negative impact on women 's lives in central Maidan Wardak province, but the election of three women to lead the Provincial Council has raised hope for a positive change.
For the first time in Afghanistan , three women were elected to top administrative posts by the Provincial Council of Maidan Wardak province on Saturday.
The elected provincial public representatives voted on Saturday to elect the council's new administrative board. The 15-member council elected all three female members in the body as head, deputy head and secretary.
According to Maidan Wardak media office, Halima Askari and Dr. Asmatullah Asim vied for the slot of the council's head while Nasifa Selai Wardak and Sharifullah Hotak eyed the deputy head position.
Halima Askari collected nine votes from the present 13 members, winning the contest while Selai Wardak obtained eight votes and was elected as deputy head.
Hajira Mirzai was elected unopposed as secretary of the provincial council. All members of the council voted for Mirzai.
According to the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG), 37 percent of candidates making it to the provincial council leadership board were women in this year's elections.
Maidan Wardak Women's Affairs Director Wahida Khkuli says women face many problems in the province, but their situation is improving with the passage of time.
In an exclusive interview with Pajhwok Afghan News, Khkuli said 550 women worked in public and private organizations in Maidan Wardak and the women's affairs department was entirely managed and led by women.
She added there were 316 female teachers in the province and their contribution had a positive impact on the key sector.
"There is fortunately no shortage of midwifes in the province", Khkuli added, but complained about women's lack of interest in government or private job after completing vocational trainings her department offered due to cultural restrictions.
"It is encouraging that the provincial council of Maidan Wardak has elected women to leadership posts for the first time, it may bring positive changes in women's situation," she said.
About cultural activities of her own department, she said she formed the Village Sisters Movement and she was trying to continue publication of Pizwan monthly journal.
On the other hand, Nafisa Seli, the newly elected deputy provincial council head of Maidan Wardak province, said no progress could be achieved in with regard to improving women's lives in the province.
She said she received many congratulation messages from rural women and villages after her election as deputy head of the provincial council.
"Our goal is to take out women of cultural barriers and support their rights, we want fundamental changes in women's situation in this province," Seli said.
Besides other problems, insecurity has a negative impact on women's situation, she said, adding only a limited number of women worked in government offices.
Suhaila Spesali, a resident of Maidan Shahr city, who works in a government organ, also said women were paid less attention in the province.
However, she said hopes about women's situation raised after three women were elected to the leadership board of the provincial council.
"This election would positively change women's situation and would reduce violence against the gender," she said.
Violence against women, their lack of access to judiciary organs and lack of trust in such organs were other problems in the province.
Wahida Khkuali said violence against women was common in the province but such incidents often went unreported due to insecurity and cultural restrictions. A major reason of violence against women is illiteracy among women.
Wahida Khkuali said there no problem for women in judiciary organs but lack of awareness, fear, family problems, insecurity and cultural restrictions discouraged women to approach the judiciary.
"We on average register 15 to 25 cases of violence against women in the province annually, we share these cases with judiciary organs but women do not follow them because the organs are entirely run by men," she said.
Muska Mayar, a civil society activist, said women's role in government offices was symbolic in Maidan Wardak. A few women who work in government offices are conservative and create problems for other women.
"The provincial council plays the role of a medium between the government and the people. In leadership role, women can better hear women's problems and defend their rights," she said.
The women's affairs director asked other women to force their family leaders to pay attention to their children's education, particularly girls.


Welcome to my Crazy Uncle blog. I'm Neill Morgan, a reader, a writer, and a Presbyterian minister. I'm a husband, a father of four daughters, a grandfather of twin granddaughters. We have twin grandsons on the way. This blog, and the upcoming book of the same title, reflect my interest in the darkest corners of the biblical text and family systems theory. Reading Rabbi Edwin H. Friedman's book, Generation to Generation: Family Systems in Church and Synagogue, stripped scales from my eyes. While it first changed the way I look at human behavior, families, churches, and the challenge of leadership, it also changed the way I read Scripture. Herein is my mash-up of family of origin work (especially Bowen and Friedman) with some of the craziest uncles on our faith-family tree, biblical writers, translators, and editors. I hope you enjoy it and join the conversation.
Dear Neill – Thanks so much for sharing your genogram of "Abide with Me"! It is so helpful. And I have the added benefit of seeing your blog. Really great. I'm teaching "Abide with Me" to a class later this spring, and will definitely send them to your work on the book on this blog. Thanks so much for posting, and for participating in the GoodReads club at Austin Seminary. It was really great conversing with you and hope our paths cross "in person," sometime. Take are and thanks again!


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NCAA Trial Winds to a Close amid High Tensions and High Stakes
Antitrust Class Actions NCAA
On October 19, 2018, the NCAA athletes submitted their closing arguments, firing away against the NCAA's bar against compensating student athletes. The critical antitrust trial has centered on collegiate sports wages, with the plaintiffs arguing against the NCAA is, "economically invalid" in its arguments based on amateurism. The NCAA has countered that paying student athletes would harm both the demand for college sports and the integration of student-athletes in college campus. The athletes reject these arguments, alleging in their 51 page redacted brief that…
amateurism rules antitrust NCAA
Judge Highlights Inconsistencies in NCAA Rules against Paying Student Athletes
Antitrust NCAA
The NCAA antitrust trial continues, as Division I college basketball and football players vie for compensation, arguing that the current NCAA provisions illegally restrict player wages. On Friday, U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken probed NCAA vice president Kevin Lennon on the association's limits on student wages, pointing out apparent discrepancies between rules imposed on various conferences. Judge Wilken highlighted a NCAA provision adopted in 2014 that allows five conferences to independently determine their financial aid rules, despite NCAA bylaws imposing cost-of-attendance limits. Visibly perplexed,…
amateurism rules NCAA student compensation
UW Chancellor and AAC Commissioner Each Testify at NCAA Antitrust Trial
Antitrust Class Actions Litigation NCAA
On September 17, 2018, University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) Chancellor, Rebecca Blank, and American Athletic Conference (AAC) Commissioner, Michael Aresco, each testified in the NCAA Antitrust trial. As we have previously reported, in this lawsuit a class of college athletes are attempting to challenge the existing NCAA amateurism rules and attempting to create an open market for various NCAA schools to compete for top college recruits. Pursuant to Chancellor Blank's testimony, UW is considering dropping its athletic program in the event that the court forces…
amateurism rules American Athletic Conference NCAA
Sparks Fly on Day Two of the NCAA Antitrust Trial
On September 5, 2018, a Stanford University professor, Dr. Roger Noll, testified as an economist expert on behalf of the college athletes in the ongoing NCAA antitrust trial. Dr. Noll criticized the NCAA's amateurism rules, claiming that college basketball and football is not a "fragile enterprise dependent on how much players get paid." As we have previously reported, in this particular lawsuit, a class of college athletes are attempting to challenge the existing NCAA amateurism rules and attempting to create an open market for…
amateurism rules NCAA Roger Noll
NCAA Antitrust Trial Starts With a Bang
On September 4, 2018, University of San Francisco professor, Daniel Rascher, testified as an economist expert on behalf of the college athletes. In his testimony, Rascher likened the NCAA to an illegal "cartel" because to their habitual practice of limiting how much money college athletes could be paid. As we have previously reported, in this particular lawsuit, a class of college athletes are attempting to challenge the existing NCAA amateurism rules and attempting to create an open market for various NCAA schools to…
amateurism rules Daniel Rascher NCAA
NCAA Antitrust Bench Trial Set to Begin
On September 4, 2018, U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken is set to preside over a bench trail between the NCAA and a group of college athletes who want an injunction placed on NCAA amateurism rules. This lawsuit, brought by a class of college athletes, came in the wake of the O'Bannon decision, where a court held that NCAA rules prohibiting college athlete's ability to profit from their likenesses were anti-competitive. However, as we have previously reported, the final decision, in O'Bannon, held that…
amateurism rules colleges athletes O'Bannon
NCAA Asks Ninth Circuit to Adhere to Seventh Circuit Ruling
Antitrust Labor & Employment Legislation NCAA
On June 29, 2018, in a letter, lawyers representing the NCAA asked the Ninth Circuit to adhere to the Seventh Circuit' recent decision and not revive a proposed wage-and-hour class action lawsuit brought by former NCAA football player, Lamar Dawson. The lawyer's asked the Ninth Circuit to adhere to the June 25, 2018 Seventh Circuit ruling that upheld the NCAA's controversial "year-in-residence rule." The rule mandates that if a student athlete transfers from a division one institution to another division one institution, they are…
amateurism rules class action lawsuit compensation year-in-residence rule
NCAA Says District Court Got It Wrong
Citing NCAA v. Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma where the Supreme Court found the NCAA's amateurism rules were procompetitive, the NCAA claimed the district court erred in finding such rules anti-competitive and "embracing an analysis that conflicts with fundamental antitrust principles." The NCAA emphasized that the Supreme Court held that amateurism rules were valid because they "enable[] a product to be marketed which might otherwise be unavailable." In a filing submitted on February 11, the organization criticized the plaintiffs' argument that the…
amateurism rules anti-competitive antitrust law University of Oklahoma


Stoke City have appointed Luton Town boss Nathan Jones as their new manager, after Gary Rowett's sacking on Tuesday.
The Potters say they have agreed a compensation package with Luton, who are second in League One.
Jones, 45, had been with the Hatters since January 2016 and guided them to promotion from League Two last season.
"This is not a job for me, this is a lifestyle. The fans will see that," said Jones, whose new team are currently 14th in the Championship.
"We will put a side out there that the club will be proud of. We will be hard working, talented side that will play in a certain way which we will work religiously on.
"Along the way there will be some ups and downs, hopefully plenty of ups. But when we get our philosophy implemented and get working with the players, I'm sure they're going to respond."
Stoke were among the pre-season favourites for promotion following relegation from the Premier League last term - and had appointed Rowett, 44, to guide them back at the first attempt.
However, eight wins from 26 Championship games were not enough to keep the former Burton and Derby boss in the post, making him the third manager to leave the Potters in just over 12 months.
Before Jones was appointed, Stoke had approached former Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic but he rejected the opportunity to be interviewed.
"We have been following Nathan's career for some time and when we met him were hugely impressed with his clear vision as to how he will achieve success at Stoke," said chairman Peter Coates and vice-chairman John Coates in a joint statement.
"Nathan is an incredibly driven and passionate individual and we are delighted to have secured his services for Stoke City."
In their own statement, Luton said they "would like to thank him for his service and the passion he has shown for our club" and that an announcement regarding his replacement would be made "in due course".
Welshman Jones enjoyed steady progress after taking the step from coach to manager with the Hatters, possessing a 51% win rate during his time in charge at Kenilworth Road.
Having staved off relegation from League Two in his first season in the role, Luton are now among the promotion challengers for a return to the second tier for the first time since 2007.
As a player he was a committed, versatile figure whose most notable spells came with Brighton and Yeovil - winning promotion with the former and captaining the latter in their 2007 play-off final defeat by Blackpool.
His coaching development came alongside Terry Skiverton and Gary Johnson at Yeovil, while he also served on the staff with Oscar Garcia, Sami Hyypia and Chris Hughton at Brighton.
Nathan Jones is a smart, intense, demanding manager - and one who is extremely ambitious.
He plays slick, attacking, passing football, deploying a diamond formation in midfield. It results in goals - like last season, Luton have scored more than any other team in their division.
He's known for being an excellent coach on the training ground and improves his players, while shipping out those he sees as 'passengers' or troublesome.
Jones also develops exciting young players such as James Justin, Elliot Lee and Jack Stacey.
He's relentless and passionate and his record at Luton was amazing and speaks for itself. His win ratio and points per game record was the best in the club's history.
Stoke fans had been calling for Rowett's departure for weeks, with supporters frustrated by the style of football and poor results.
Having recruited Tony Pulis, Mark Hughes, Paul Lambert and Rowett as their last four bosses, bringing in Jones represents a departure from the club's previous policy of having managers with plenty of experience.
"That's a really left-field one," Martin Smith, the editor of the Oatcake fanzine, told BBC Radio Stoke's Praise and Grumble show before Jones' appointment was confirmed.
"It shows the club are thinking a little bit differently and maybe building something and playing a more expansive style of football.
"There are good managers out there in the lower leagues and they've got to get their chance sooner or later, or how else will they make their way up to the Premier League?
"We just seem to have the Pardew, Allardyce, Moyes, O'Neill merry-go-round. Stoke are trying to do something different - but with three managers in 12 months, we have to get it right."


The IRD recently announced that it has tracked down an additional 57,000 Australian resident student loan debtors, whose whereabouts were previously unknown. The IRD's new ability to find Australian resident debtors stems from its information sharing agreement with the Australian Tax Office.
We provide unbiased, independent advice about options and we can assist with IRD negotiations or bankruptcy. Please contact us if you need help.
As one of these so called debtors my life has been turned upside down in 24 hours. I left NZ in 1998 under the impression my student loan had been completed. The loan was for 5.5 k initially, repayments totalling 4600 have been accepted as made by IRD. The rub, only now have I discovered that my then employer either failed to forward deductions to IRD from August 1997 to June 1998, or that the IRD have somehow screwed their records up. This has resulted in over 10k of penaltys being added.
The rub, since my then employer is under no obligation to maintain records that far back (I'm hoping for a miracle), and IRD refuse to process tax returns more than 10 years old, and admit they may not have coimplete records I am being told that I will almost certainly be hounded for this tridiculous debt.


text:
Email Scandal: FBI clears Clinton
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation has cleared Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton after a renewed probe into her use of private email server as the US secretary of state. FBI Director James Comey sent a letter to the Republican-controlled Congress on Sunday to make the announcement. Earlier, Comey had sent a letter, notifying the lawmakers of newly discovered emails pertinent to the case. Following an earlier probe, the FBI chief refused to recommend any charges against the Democratic flag-bearer.
In the new letter, Comey said that the new emails have not changed the situation and his previous recommendation still holds. "The FBI investigative team has been working around the clock to process and review a large volume of emails from a device obtained in connection with an unrelated criminal investigation," Comey wrote in the letter. "During that process, we reviewed all of the communications that were to or from Hillary Clinton while she was secretary of state."
Comey's first letter caused turmoil in the US 2016 presidential election and harmed Clinton's lead over GOP nominee Donald Trump. "I am very grateful to the professionals at the FBI for doing an extraordinary amount of high-quality work in a short period of time," Comey added.
The Clinton campaign welcomed the decision with communications director Jennifer Palmieri saying, "We are glad the matter is resolved." The Trump campaign has been using the case as a means to attack the former first lady, arguing she is corrupt. The new development comes the Tuesday presidential election approaches.
‹ Biya and the CPDM celebrates 34th anniversary of accession to power	› The rich and the powerful basically control the US system


text:
Utah Case Counts
Quick links... Get Tested Utah Case Counts Global Map Hotline: 1-800-456-7707 The Rebound We're Open!
NewsCoronavirusLocal Coronavirus News
Utah legislature may look at carving exceptions into business COVID-19 vaccine mandates
By: Ben Winslow
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah State Legislature may look at carving exceptions into any COVID-19 vaccine mandate imposed by a private business.
In an interview with FOX 13, House Speaker Brad Wilson confirmed the idea was under consideration. House Republicans on Wednesday met in their regular caucus to discuss COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
Political leaders on Utah's Capitol Hill are waiting to see what the Biden administration says with its proposed occupational safety rule imposing a vaccine or testing mandate on businesses with more than 100 employees. The state has threatened a lawsuit or refusal to comply.
"We do have grave concerns about the problem that this rule, as described to us by the president, will create for Utahns and our economy and businesses here and we think it needs to be worked through differently," Speaker Wilson, R-Kaysville, said.
While they have opposed government vaccine mandates, some political leaders — including Speaker Wilson — have supported the rights of a private business to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine. But the Speaker signaled that stance may be changing.
"On one hand, we're saying we don't want the federal government to create mandates, on the other hand we've got to be very careful about how we deal with mandates. There are times when sometimes employers can do things that maybe cross a line with their employee-employer relationship," he said. "So we're going to monitor it. It's probably the best way do describe it at this point."
Added House Majority Whip Mike Schultz, R-Hooper: "If a business does decide to mandate it, it's certainly their right and their option. However, I think the employee has some rights as well. I think the state ought to have some exemptions."
The idea of carving exceptions into any private business vaccine mandate could be an option. A number of legislators are opening bills with subject lines about vaccine mandates. Lawmakers have faced pressure from anti-vaccine constituents to take action and block any mandates.
"Obviously, we're against any mandates coming down from the federal government, vaccine mandates, but our hope is there's exemptions in there," said Rep. Schultz. "Personal, medical, and religious exemptions in there that ultimately give the employee and the citizens of our state the ability to have that choice."
Utah law currently does allow for personal, religious or medical vaccine exemptions. However, some religions, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have said they will refuse to grant them.
Some of those bills the legislature may take up could hit a roadblock at Governor Spencer Cox's desk. While also speaking against government mandating the COVID-19 vaccine, he has repeatedly defended the rights of private businesses to impose vaccine requirements.
"That's their right to do so and we applaud the marketplace making those decisions," the governor said at a news conference on Sept. 30.
Asked by FOX 13 if a bill blocking mandates by private businesses was "dead on arrival," the governor bluntly replied: "Yes."
House Republican leaders said they do not oppose vaccines, and encouraged people to get the COVID-19 vaccine to end the pandemic.
"I would never mandate my employees have the vaccine. I've encouraged them to, I'm actually incentivizing my employees to get the vaccine," Speaker Wilson said of his own business . "I would hope most businesses don't jump the gun on this in this state and mandate a vaccine if there's other options."
Symptom Checker Utah Dept. of Health Updates Interactive COVID-19 Map Unemployment Assistance Small Business Resources Hotline: 1-800-456-7707


Cloud Country is conveniently located near IH-35, off of Conrad Rd. in New Braunfel. Just minutes from the New Braunfels Town Center at Creekside Shopping Center, New Braunfels Market place, numerous restaurants, golf courses, physicians and various services. Enjoy the beautiful Comal and Guadalupe River that are within minutes of Cloud Country where you can swim and enjoy various water activities. Be a part of the small town vibes and easy going lifestyle that is Cloud Country.