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You are here:Home-Security, Stories, Topics-Practice: Preparing for potential cyberattacks
Practice: Preparing for potential cyberattacks
Before any big event, it makes good sense to practice ahead of time to make sure everything runs smoothly. The more you rehearse, the more thoroughly everyone involved knows their roles and responsibilities, and can plan for every possible scenario.
Weddings, theatrical performances, speeches, school or work presentations—everyone would likely agree that practice makes perfect when it comes to prepping for an event.
Even if it's an event you DON'T want to happen.
Cyberattacks/data breaches have impacted almost all industries in recent years, from Target and Equifax, to most recently, Panera and the diet and exercise tracking app MyFitnessPal. In 2015, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, one of the country's largest health insurers, experienced a data breach impacting 80 million individuals.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska takes safeguarding our members' protected health information very seriously. Using industry best practices, we have developed and put in place comprehensive policies and procedures to keep the sensitive information we maintain safe and secure.
But what if? Part of having a strong plan in place is also knowing exactly what to do in case something does go wrong. That's why, despite having numerous safeguards in place to keep member information secure, we practice on a regular basis what we would do if our data was compromised.
Recently, with the help of our security response vendor, we conducted a simulation of a sophisticated cyberattack to put our training to the test.
"We have strong processes in place and a strong team that's focused on data security," said Kerry Kremke, BCBSNE's director of Information Assurance and chief security officer. "However, it's important not to take anything for granted. The more you practice an activity, the better the results. These simulations help us improve our performance and strengthen our processes."
Jennifer Richardson, vice president of Compliance and Ethics, agreed. "In today's environment, it's more critical than ever that we remain diligent in protecting our members' information against a potential hack," she said. "These exercises mimic 'real world situations' that allow us to review and refine our data security measures and practice the steps that would need to be taken to swiftly and efficiently address the situation and communicate with our customers and other key stakeholders."
In the event of a cyberattack or data breach, communication plays a key role in resolving the issue and protecting impacted individuals from harm. Members and other key stakeholders such as employers, brokers, providers and our own employees, need to be kept informed and clear on what we're doing to protect them and also what they need to do.
Health care data can be more valuable than credit card information because it includes Social Security Numbers, birthdates, addresses, claims data and employment information. According to a Modern Healthcare article, a complete medical record can sell for more than $1,000 on the dark web. The information can be used for fraudulent billing and prescriptions, but also to steal identities.
While they hope never to have to put the plans and activities they practice into action, Kremke said BCBSNE's Incident Response Team's regular cyberattack simulations help ensure the company is ready to address any situation.
"The bad news is that cyberattackers continue to grow bolder and more sophisticated," Kremke said. "The good news is that BCBSNE remains vigilant and prepared to defend our members' health information from misuse."
By Kim Arnold|2018-04-16T16:00:35-05:00April 13th, 2018|Categories: Security, Stories, Topics|Tags: cyberattacks, cybersecurity, data, information, practice, protect health care, security|Comments Off on Practice: Preparing for potential cyberattacks
About the Author: Kim Arnold
Kim Arnold, director of Corporate Communications, has been with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska for more than 30 years. She is an accredited member of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Founded in 1994 by Henri Lambert, The Lectoure Blue has become, over time, a key player in the rehabilitation of pastel (Isatis tinctoria).
Henri Lambert has, for several years, resurfaced the techniques of ancestral dyeing. He also built the notoriety of the brand "Bleu de Lectoure".
On the strength of this success, he has surrounded himself with several partners to offer various ranges of customary products or accessories (paintings, cosmetics, fine arts …), which also contributed to the international influence of the company.
During all these years, Henri Lambert transmitted his pastel passion, as well as his know-how in dyeing to his 2 employees, Séverine de Breucker and Cécile Gex.
In 2016, the company was threatened with closure because of the shortage of pigment, but Séverine and Cécile, true passionate, did not want their company to go out thus! At the same time, a local farmer, Jean-Marie Neels, proposed to them to cultivate pastel in his own fields to share know-how, which seduced our two dyers! The idea was to be able to dye pigment extracted locally to be 100% autonomous. This led them and they decided to team up!
After a training with the master of dye plants, Michel Garcia, the three partners wanted to dye 100% natural and wanted to develop an organic range, which they did.
They also wanted to review the organization, how to dye, present the shop.
Today, the company is located at 55 rue Alsace Lorraine in Lectoure, in a former shop, in the city center of Lectoure. This allows for a party for the workshop as well as a shop and conference room nearby!
From now on, Le Bleu de Lectoure is reviving and embarking on various projects (new clothing collections, brand development, online shop, extraction, and very soon, pigment production …) and its history continues … Write there with we are.


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Species360 Member News
07Dec 22
Exciting Improvements are Coming to ZIMS!
Exciting improvements are coming to the Species360 Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) in 2023! ZIMS will receive a new look as we modernize and update the platform, enhancing the capabilities and functionality of ZIMS.
06Sep 22
See what's new in ZIMS for Husbandry, Medical, and Studbooks – and share the flier!
Catching up? Here is a look at recent news and updates, including new features and what other zoo and aquatics teams are using them. Choose by category to see all…
Species360 CEO Blog: The Critical Role of Sharing Data for Conservation and Animal Care
Przewalski's horses are an iconic species that zoos have helped save from extinction. At Species360, we believe data and data sharing are critical to conservation science. Jim Guenter, Species360 CEO.…
New Study: Turtles and Tortoises Challenge Evolutionary Theories of Aging
Data from the Species360 Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) has enabled researchers from the Species360 Conservation Science Alliance and the University of Southern Denmark to investigate evolutionary aging theories in tortoises and turtles.
New research used ZIMS data to analyze factors that can influence reproductive success in flamingos.
Discus fish (Symphysodon) Species360 recently released a new feature in ZIMS for Medical called 'quick split' to help veterinarians better capture medical records that apply to just one member from…
We are pleased to announce that Katie Curran, former Registrar at The Florida Aquarium, has joined Species360 as Aquatic Product Specialist. Katie has been a part-time, consulting member of the Species360 product management team since early October. In this role, she has helped to develop enhancements to the Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) that directly support collection and enclosure management for aquariums.
Species360 is pleased to announce the addition of the plant collection platform Hortis to our product portfolio.
Loggerhead Marinelife Center rescues, rehabilitates and releases sick and injured sea turtles found along one of the world's most densely nested beaches. (Source: Loggerhead Marinelife Center) Species360 is pleased to…
Species360 at CITES CoP19: Raising Awareness for Species from Songbirds to Sharks and Rays
Species360 had a delegation attending CoP19 to represent Species360 members and to highlight research from the Species360 Conservation Science Alliance (CSA).
Sign up here for member news and updates from Species360.
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COMMONWEALTH vs. SCOTT A. DAY.
Present: LIACOS, C.J., WILKINS, ABRAMS, NOLAN, LYNCH, O'CONNOR, & GREANEY, JJ.
The defendant at a manslaughter trial arising from the death of an eighteen month old child was prejudiced by the judge's admitting expert testimony regarding the characteristics common to individuals who physically abuse children ("child battering profile") where, considering that the defendant's case consisted of seeking to place culpability for the child's death on her mother and not himself, that evidence pointing to the defendant as the abuser was not overwhelming, and that both the child's mother and the defendant had access to the child within the time period in which she died, the "child battering profile" testimony may have contributed to the jury's conclusion that the defendant, and not the mother, was responsible for the child's fatal injuries. [723-726]
INDICTMENT found and returned in the Superior Court Department on June 15, 1988.
The case was tried before J. Harold Flannery, J.
The Supreme Judicial Court granted a request for direct appellate review.
Carol A. Donovan, Committee for Public Counsel Services, for the defendant.
S. Jane Haggerty, Assistant District Attorney, (Frederick B. McAlary, Assistant District Attorney, with her) for the Commonwealth.
LIACOS, C.J. The defendant, Scott A. Day, was convicted by a jury of manslaughter. He appealed; his application for direct appellate review was granted by this court. The defendant claims that the judge erred in (1) admitting expert testimony regarding the profile of individuals who physically abuse children, and (2) improperly applying the hearsay rule
to exclude a statement made by the victim's mother. [Note 1] In the view we take, we need not consider the second claim of error. We reverse on the first claim.
We summarize the evidence heard by the jury. The eighteen month old victim was pronounced dead at 2 P.M. on November 8, 1987, at Hale Hospital in Haverhill. Dr. Michael Arnall, a pathologist who performed an autopsy on the body, testified that the victim had several contusions on her head, neck, abdomen, kidneys, legs, and feet. The age of the contusions varied from a few minutes to several days before the victim's death. Dr. Arnall also testified that the victim died as a result of blunt trauma to the head and neck, and that death occurred a few minutes after suffering the fatal injuries, one to three hours after eating a meal, and twelve to twenty-four hours before the child was pronounced dead.
The defendant had moved in with the victim's mother and her four children approximately six months before the victim's death. As a result of the police investigation of the child's death, the defendant provided State Trooper Elaine M. Condon with a signed statement dated November 17, 1987. The entire statement was read by Condon at the trial. According to the statement, on November 7, 1987, the night before the victim was pronounced dead, the defendant fed the children at approximately 6 P.M. At approximately 6:30 P.M., the mother left the apartment, leaving the children in the care of the defendant. Between 7:30 P.M. and 8 P.M., as the defendant was putting the children to bed, a friend stopped by for a visit. The defendant gave the victim medication and put her to bed some time between 8 P.M. and 8:30 P.M. The mother arrived home some time after 1 A.M., and the couple had an argument which lasted approximately twenty minutes. On the morning of November 8, according to the defendant, he removed the child from the crib and immediately realized that she was dead. The defendant then attempted
to resuscitate the child, while the mother telephoned for an ambulance.
In response to an inquiry by Condon concerning an injury to the mother's hand, the defendant stated that she had hit a wall during an argument; the defendant assured Condon that, "There has never been any physical violence between us." The defendant also told Condon that he had in the past smoked "a little pot" and "dr[a]nk a little." On November 25, 1987, the defendant, during a second interview with Condon, stated that the mother had returned to the apartment at approximately 2 A.M. (contradicting his earlier statement that she had returned at approximately 1 A.M.), and that, after the argument, left again and did not return until 5 A.M. or 5:30 A.M. On May 16, 1988, Condon once again spoke with the defendant and asked him about injuries suffered by the victim during the previous June. The defendant told Condon that he had been "screwed up on drugs" and that he had struck the child with an open hand on the side of her face because she was crying.
Dr. Stephen Bloom and Dr. Stuart Shapira testified that they examined the child on June 16, 1987, and that she had several bruises on her face. The physicians testified that the interaction between the mother and the child seemed to be normal. Both physicians filed reports with the Department of Social Services (department) due to the possibility of child abuse. As a result of the reports, Mabelle Barnette, a social worker with the department, visited the family's apartment on June 18, 1987. Barnette observed that the relationship between mother and child was "good" and "loving" and that there was no "reasonable cause to believe that the child was at risk to abuse and neglect."
The Commonwealth's case closed with the testimony of Dr. Eli Newberger, who testified as an expert on the so-called "battered child syndrome." Dr. Newberger testified about how it is possible to differentiate between injuries which are the result of child abuse, and injuries which are the result of accidents. Dr. Newberger reviewed the victim's
medical records and concluded that the child died as a result of child abuse.
As part of his testimony on battered child syndrome, Dr. Newberger testified, over repeated and strenuous objections by defense counsel, that five "family characteristics" are sometimes associated with child abuse: (1) stress derived from economic hardship and conflict between the parents; (2) isolation of the family; (3) violence against the mother; (4) obtaining medical care from different physicians and hospitals; and (5) singling out of a particular child for abuse. Dr. Newberger also testified, over repeated objections by defense counsel, about the presence of "risk factors" in child abuse cases such as a "repeated pattern" of partners of single mothers who sometimes "offend against [the] children" while the mothers are at work. Dr. Newberger added that another "pattern" recognized in child abuse cases is when a single parent, usually the mother, has several partners who bring alcohol and drugs into the household. Dr. Newberger stated that more than 60% of the cases of child abuse reported to the department "involved" the use of drugs.
The defendant's case consisted of seeking to place culpability for the child's death on the mother and not on himself. A young woman who frequently babysat for the children testified that the mother was sometimes "grouchy" and that she sometimes hit the children. A neighbor testified that she often heard the mother screaming at the children. Finally, included in the hospital records admitted in evidence by the prosecution was a report which stated that the mother told hospital personnel that she fed the child on the morning of November 8, 1987. According to the medical testimony, however, the child had died several hours before.
The defendant argues that the judge erred in allowing Dr. Newberger to testify about the "family characteristics" and "patterns" found in cases of child abuse. The defendant claims that Dr. Newberger's testimony consisted of profile evidence which was irrelevant and highly prejudicial. We agree.
"In determining whether the evidence offered serves any valid purpose we apply the rule that it must merely render the desired inference more probable than it would be without the evidence." Green v. Richmond, 369 Mass. 47 , 59 (1975). See Commonwealth v. Fayerweather, 406 Mass. 78 , 83 (1989); P.J. Liacos, Massachusetts Evidence 409 (5th ed. 1981 & Supp. 1985). The issue whether a "child battering profile" is admissible evidence is one of first impression in Massachusetts. See Commonwealth v. Proulx, 23 Mass. App. Ct. 985 , 986 (1987).
A criminal trial is by its very nature an individualized adjudication of a defendant's guilt or legal innocence. Testimony regarding a criminal profile is nothing more than an expert's opinion as to certain characteristics which are common to some or most of the individuals who commit particular crimes. Evidence of a "child battering profile" does not meet the relevancy test, because the mere fact that a defendant fits the profile does not tend to prove that a particular defendant physically abused the victim. See State v. Brown, 370 So. 2d 547, 554 (La. 1979) (drug courier profile "does not tend to prove that this defendant is guilty of the offense charged, nor does it explain any relevant fact with regard to guilt or innocence"); Duley v. State, 56 Md. App. 275, 281 (1983) (child battering profile "totally irrelevant because it does not tend to prove that [the defendant] committed the acts of abuse attributed to him"); State v. Maule, 35 Wash. App. 287, 293 (1983) ("relevancy of [such] evidence is not discernible").
The use of criminal profiles as substantive evidence of guilt is inherently prejudicial to the defendant. See, e.g., United States v. Simpson, 910 F.2d 154, 158 (4th Cir. 1990) (drug courier profile); United States v. Quigley, 890 F.2d 1019, 1022-1023 (8th Cir. 1989), cert. denied, 493 U.S. 1091 (1990) (same); United States v. Gillespie, 852 F.2d 475, 480 (9th Cir. 1988) (child molester profile). Evidence of a "[child battering profile] is highly prejudicial since it invites a jury to conclude that because an expert experienced in child abuse cases identifies an accused as someone fitting a
particular profile, it is more likely than not that this individual committed the crime." Sloan v. State, 70 Md. App. 630, 638 (1987). We conclude that the admission in evidence of a "child battering profile" is reversible error due to its irrelevance and its inherent prejudicial impact on the defendant. [Note 2]
Testimony involving a "child battering profile" must be distinguished from testimony describing the "battered child syndrome," which both parties in the instant case agree is a proper subject for expert testimony. "[Battered child] syndrome has come to be a well recognized medical diagnosis, dependent on inferences, not a matter of common knowledge, but within the area of expertise of physicians whose familiarity with numerous instances of injuries accidentally caused qualifies them to express with reasonable probability that a particular injury or group of injuries is not accidental or is not consistent with the explanation offered therefor but is instead the result of physical abuse by a person of mature strength" (footnote omitted.) Commonwealth v. Labbe, 6 Mass. App. Ct. 73 , 77 (1978).
The Commonwealth argues that Dr. Newberger's testimony was limited to the issue whether the victim was physically abused by a "person with mature strength," and did not address the profile of individuals who abuse children. Dr. Newberger's testimony regarding a "repeated pattern" of partners of single mothers who sometimes "offend against [the] children" while the mothers are at work constituted profile testimony. [Note 3] The testimony improperly suggested to the
jury that the defendant physically abused the child simply because he was the mother's partner, and because he was left with the responsibility of caring for the child on the night on which she died. Similarly, Dr. Newberger's testimony regarding the "pattern" of single mothers with several partners who bring drugs into the household was also improper profile testimony since the defendant was a "partner" of a "single mother," and evidence was presented to the jury that the defendant used drugs. [Note 4]
The fact that Dr. Newberger did not specifically state that the defendant fit the profile is not significant, since a reasonable jury could have inferred that the Commonwealth was implying that the defendant fit the "child battering profile," and, as a result, that the defendant was responsible for the child's fatal injuries. See United States v. Quigley, supra at 1024; Sanders v. State, 251 Ga. 70, 76 (1983). In the circumstances of this case, where there was evidence that the mother and the defendant argued on the night before the child was found dead, and that the defendant was questioned by the police regarding injuries suffered by the mother, a reasonable jury could have inferred that the evidence was introduced by the Commonwealth to establish who abused the child, not whether the child was abused. Dr. Newberger's testimony regarding "patterns" and "family characteristics" found in cases of child abuse was improper profile testimony and the judge erred in allowing its admission in evidence.
The Commonwealth argues that, if the judge committed error in admitting Dr. Newberger's testimony, the error was harmless since it was highly unlikely that Dr. Newberger's testimony "contributed to the verdict, particularly in light of
the Commonwealth's very persuasive evidence of guilt." We disagree. While there was persuasive evidence that the child died from "battered child syndrome," the evidence pointing toward the defendant as the abuser was not overwhelming. According to Dr. Arnall, the child died between 2 P.M. and 2 A.M. The strongest evidence against the defendant was his own statement that he had exclusive access to the child between 6:30 P.M. and 1 A.M. [Note 5] The mother, however, returned home between 1 A.M. and 2 A.M. Both the mother and the defendant, therefore, had access to the child within the time period in which she died. While the defendant admitted to the police that he had hit the child in the past, there was also testimony from the babysitter that she saw the mother hit the children. We conclude that the highly prejudicial profile testimony may have contributed to the jury's conclusion that the defendant, and not the mother, was responsible for the child's fatal injuries. [Note 6] Therefore, we cannot say that the defendant was not prejudiced.
The judgment is reversed, the verdict is set aside, and the case is remanded for a new trial.
[Note 1] The defendant's motion for relief from joinder with his codefendant, the victim's mother, was allowed. In a separate trial the mother was convicted of manslaughter.
[Note 2] See Sloan v. State, supra; Duley v. State, supra; State v. Steward, 34 Wash. App. 221, 223-224 (1983). See also People v. Walkey, 177 Cal. App. 3d 268, 278-279 (1986) (admission of "battering parent syndrome" prejudicial, but error harmless because evidence against defendant strong); Sanders v. State, 251 Ga. 70, 75-76 (1983) (same); State v. Loebach, 310 N.W.2d 58, 64 (Minn. 1981) (same).
[Note 3] Dr. Newberger testified "[t]hat very frequently there is a repeated pattern of a mother say who lived with different partners. That also seems to be associated with sometimes those partners having responsibility for the care of children while the mother may go to work, in the absence of adequate child care sometimes those people may offend against children in one or another way."
[Note 4] Dr. Newberger testified that "[b]etween the changes in the families where the single parent, usually the mother, is responsible for the children, and sometimes not one but a series of partners of the mother may have, and into the presence of psycho active substances, alcohol, drugs, of various kinds, we very often see a prescription for very serious danger to children and in many cases the Massachusetts Department of Social Services estimates that in excess of 60 percent [objection overruled] of the case reports drugs are also involved. These are the latest family findings with regard to this changing pattern of child physical abuse."
[Note 5] There is no evidence or allegation that the defendant's friend who visited him on the night of November 7, 1987, harmed the child.
[Note 6] The improper prejudicial impact of Dr. Newberger's profile testimony was reinforced during closing arguments when the prosecutor, while trying to explain why the mother might have lied about her having fed the child on the morning of November 8, 1987, reminded the jury of "Doctor Newberger's testimony and the factors of the typical child abuses he referred to. And one of those, I suggest, or some of those, I suggest, is a fact that many of these cases happen in broken homes where there's a mother and a boyfriend [objection overruled] and on many of these occasions the mother, in an attempt to cover up, makes some alibis."


If you have an email inbox, it's critical you use a spam filter to sift through the countless junk emails you get each day. Spam mail is not only time consuming. It can also bring in malware, phishing software and viruses.
Spam filters are software used to scan emails to determine whether of not they're spam. Before choosing one, it helps to know how the various spam filters differ, so you can have the best one for your purposes.
Head filters—This spam filter uses the subject line to filter mail. It's not the most dependable filter.
User defined filters—This type of spam filter scans subject lines, as well as email content, that come into a user's inbox. It checks for reoccurring patterns in emails.
Content filters—These filters decide if an email is probably spam. A disadvantage of content filters is that they can occasionally prevent requested messages or newsletters to reach your inbox. Therefore, you'll have to consistently check your junk folder.
Language filters—These are used to filter out emails from other languages and countries.
Permission filters—As the strictest type of filter, permission filters only accept senders that you've approved to enter your inbox.
Mailbagging is a spam filter that holds your mail when a server is down. It's similar to as a post office holding mail when people are away from their homes. It's a good idea because you can be assured that your mail won't bounce back to a sender when your email server isn't working.
Be sure any spam-filtering you select supports more than one email account that's web-based.
When you choose the spam filter that is best for your personal or business needs, you don't have to worry about spam and a cluttered inbox. Please contact us and ask about our services.


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Sea Smoke Rising, A River Odyssey
By: Raymond S. Pfeiffer
Rare are the times when immersion in fog helps one to see things clearly! In more than seven decades of summers and many springs and falls on The River, I had never been unable to navigate successfully from either Clayton or Gananoque to my homes on either Hickory Island, Grindstone, or The Punts. I have crossed that water in huge storms, in fog, in traditional St. Lawrence sailing skiffs, in punts and in little kayaks. I have gone forth in howling gales, in cosmic darkness, and used compass bearings to navigate through miles of fog. I had even seen fog move aside in the wee hours of the morning, just when I needed it to do so. I have had no real plans for what to do or where to stay if something prevented a desired crossing.
Left: Looking east toward Lake Fleet Islands with moderate Sea Smoke. Right: Heavy Sea Smoke rising on the Lake Fleet Islands. [Photos by R. Pfeiffer]
On Thursday evening, October 3, 2019, my dear friend, JBJ, accompanied me across the River in late afternoon to the Thousand Islands Playhouse to see the play, "The New Canadian Curling Club." It was a show that we both enjoyed greatly, due to the wit of its script and the talent of its actors and creative stage crew. River conditions seemed normal that afternoon, with a northeast wind blowing up the River, but at a moderate clip.
It was at the intermission, when I went out on the Playhouse deck, that I discovered considerable fog on the River. I could not see our lighthouse light from the theater, which is unusual. I thought that, after the show, I might need to use my GPS to return to our little island at the head of the Lake Fleet Group. But I did not mention it to JBJ, who had not noticed the fog.
In most foggy conditions, it is prudent to stay in town, a change of little significance to one's plans. However, for us, the return home to The Punts was important. We both had a real desire to awaken to what, in our minds, is one of the most beautiful island homes in all the world. And it is our home, five kilometers from shore, in open water, where we want to be, and love being, in all the moods of the River.
There was another motive at work here, and it is one that JBJ had sensed but did not probe. That is the challenge of crossing that water to our sanctuary. It is undeniably connected to my own ego. I love a challenge, if there are reasonable odds of success. I had both the skills and the understanding of River risk and of the mistakes made by some, even tragically, in their travels upon the waters. I was not one to avoid the adventure.
Sea Smoke (fairly heavy) off the foot of Bohemia Island. [Photo by R. Pfeiffer]
Fog is, of course, the great enemy of navigators, having caused innumerable crashes and shipwrecks all across the world. The wise and cautious will always say that it is best avoided by craft of all kinds. Fog at night on the water poses among the most extreme dangers.
On the other hand, GPS navigation has become precise and reliable, and I had a two-year-old Humminbird unit on board. I had put in waypoints for the trip to and from The Punts Islands to Gananoque, Ontario, and even tested them out one day early in the summer. I had confidence.
Our boat that night was the Grape-Nut Two, a nineteen-foot Grady White fishing boat with a windshield and low canvas top, built twenty-five years earlier and powered by a 150-horsepower Yamaha, four-stroke outboard from 2004. I had bought them six years earlier, having known their first owner, Bill Shirley, and I maintained them well, and considered them reliable. I felt ready for our trip home.
Down at the dock, it was damp, chilly, and oppressive, and we felt the low pressure in the area. We had some trepidation, but not enough to cause discussion. We cast off and headed out into the fog, the darkness, and the blindness, guided only by our GPS. Past the first waypoint, we could see nothing except the milky glow of Gananoque's lights behind us. The engine turning a little more than idling speed, at 1100 rpms, I steered for the second waypoint between Hay and Cobb Island.
Past the second waypoint, we could see that we were leaving the cut between Hay Island and Cobb. It is a gap of over a kilometer, and I could see on the split screen on my GPS navigator that the depth of the water was increasing, as it went from seven feet to twenty, and deeper. We were heading toward the one-hundred-foot-deep Middle Canadian Channel where there is a huge flow of water moving powerfully downstream at about four miles per hour or nearly six kph. I was reassured that we were on the right course, our waypoints placed well out in the middle of open water.
Light Sea Smoke forming, looking SW toward Gig II Island in the Lake Fleet. [Photo by R. Pfeiffer]
Now, heading into the abyss, I had a feeling of apprehension, and of a little fear, wholly unable to see anything beyond the boat. Yet, upon reflection, I felt confident that even if we did hit something, such as a shoal or an island, or some floating obstruction, or jetsam, that our slow speed would prevent significant injury, and might not even puncture the strong, hand-laid fiberglass hull. We hummed at low speed across this big River, and we moved on and on, very slowly, knowing our location only by seeing the brightly lit, almost glaring representation on our GPS screen.
As we progressed out past Hay Island, evidence of the wind became more noticeable, making it impossible to steer a straight course, as we were blown about, and repeatedly knocked off course by waves that increased in size as we went. They probably peaked at about two feet high as we came within a kilometer of the island.
It was then that we could see, up high above the water, the familiar, flashing green light of the beacon on one of our tiny islands. Although we were heading in that direction, I was careful not to go directly to that light. It stands on rock about five feet above the River level, and about two meters from the water's edge. It extends upward about ten meters, visible from the water some two hundred and seventy degrees from southeast to northwest. The question that struck us was: "How could we see it with such thick fog all around us?"
We were subject to a phenomenon with a variety of names. It is a kind of fog, sometimes called sea smoke, frost smoke, or steam fog which most commonly forms in the fall and the spring. It comes when cold, humid air crosses water that is warmer, making the fog appear to rise up from the water. Up-wind, at the water's edge, the fog is light and thin. But farther out on the water, say a kilometer or more, it can be as thick as traditional "pea soup." Where we were, some six kilometers from its up-wind shore, it was visually impenetrable at less than a boat-length.
Thick as it can be, this fog did not extend upward very far. I would estimate that most of it rose up only four meters high. Had our boat been bigger, and we sitting farther up, we could have seen out over it to distinguish tree lines on islands in the area. However, we were down in it, and could see no tree lines and no shores during our entire journey.
We neared our little islands with the flashing green beacon somewhere above us, and we became worried, as the waves had increased, and we were bobbing like a cork, the lighthouse going up and down in our visual field, and the boat weaving about among the waves. It was disorienting, and troublesome, as the lighthouse seemed to move along our starboard side, becoming almost abaft the beam. Yet, we did not know how far we were from the lighthouse island or the dock.
The question in both of our minds was how it could be possible for us to see the shore and the dock. Our GPS was not tuned to such fine distances for which it was trustworthy in close quarters, accurate to less than two meters. Our docks had solar-powered lights on them, but we could not see any through the fog. We needed to avoid that rocky shore, the shoals around it, and see the dock to be able to land at it. We knew we were close to the beacon and the shore, but not how close.
I shined a searchlight into the fog, which immediately convinced me that we could not see far enough to be able to land. And as I did so, the wind and waves swung the boat around to the east, and I felt dizzyed by it, and disoriented. I had been looking up at the beacon, and now looked down at the screen, as we swung around farther from the east to the north. The visual transition from seeing the green light in darkness, to the bright GPS screen, to the searchlight into nothingness was dizzying, and the moving of the boat worsened the sensation. I felt singularly unsure just how far out we were from the shore, from some nearby shoals, and from shipwreck.
Left: Looking toward Barge Island [Photo by J. Bedford-Jones] Right: Looking toward Camelot, second island from far right [Photo by J. Bedford-Jones]
I felt serious worry as JBJ asked me, "What do we do now?" I chose the only reasonable answer that I could, and said "We're going back." But the swinging of the boat, together with my sense of disorientation, caused a sense of fear that I rarely felt on these waters. Fortunately, it did not flummox me, or prevent my doing what was clearly the right move: I allowed us to swing farther, until we had exactly reversed the course we took to arrive. And then, both of us seriously frightened, we headed back, having not touched anything but this beautiful, dark, soft water.
We went to our waypoints, and then close to the Gananoque shore, where the fog was lighter, and we could see our way to the marina. When we docked, we both agreed that we were still shaking from the stress of it all.
In no condition to ask friends or family for a place to stay, after midnight, we resolved to find a room for the night, and relax at a local pub. The first motel we stopped at was full, and the first pub we approached had closed. We found one open not far away, and then found ourselves in the company of the cast and crew of the play we had so enjoyed! We told them our tale, and they were fascinated. They mentioned that it would be really fun to go out to visit.
We discussed the possibility of such a visit, and then followed up with a phone call that brought a very positive response from our theater friends. It was the following Friday that we picked them up, took them on a tour of the islands, and brought them out for lunch with us on the island. We had a wonderful and memorable time from it all, having pulled out vivid and joyful memories from the open jaws of disaster.
By Raymond Pfeiffer, The Punts, Lake Fleet
Raymond Pfeiffer is a Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, from Delta College in Michigan, author of three books and twenty scholarly articles. He is a lifelong River Rat, occupant and caretaker of The Punts Islands, a long-time sailor and maintainer of St. Lawrence skiffs, a fisherman and boater who has lived on Hickory Island, Grindstone Island, and The Punts.
Editor's Note: There are many times when we experience a crossing that makes us uncomfortable. After stories like Raymond's sink in... I think it is high time we not throw caution to the wind and we should make other arrangements. I know I will (I promise).
Posted in: Volume 15, Issue 1, January 2020, Places, Poetry, Current
Raymond S. Pfeiffer
Read more articles by Raymond S. Pfeiffer and there may be more articles on our old site. Click here to visit our old site.
"The Wind in the Islands," an Animated Audio Book for River Rats...
An animated audio book version of The Wind in the Islands... Performed by Scott's daughter, Merideth, and featuring Scott's animated drawings,
Volume 14, Issue 7, July 2019
Scott Ouderkirk
Gliding Back in Time
What better way to start a day on the island than with a row in a St. Lawrence River Skiff?
Volume 14, Issue 4, April 2019
Lynn E. McElfresh


I grew up beside the coast, so all things seaside has been a constant, yet ever changing source of inspiration.
This was especially true with my ceramics, yet less so with my photography. Maybe I should spend a little less time in the hills, but I do rather love it there.
Which is a bit bad really, as the North East coast is as beautiful as it is varied. Especially so, when some of my earlier photographs appeared in a book about the coast here.
So I've started taking in the sea air a bit more often. Recent visits to Whitley Bay and further up towards Lindisfarne have brought some pleasing and interesting results, that I intend to develop in the near future.
This gallery is a little more diverse in terms of location though. There are photographs from Wales here, the land of my fathers. As well as the Giant's Causeway and the Isle of Lewis.
So I can find inspiration from the coast, at least when I'm not distracted by the hills.


As a Bournemouth Ambassador, you need to keep up to date with the very latest news on all that's going on in the town. This short module aims to fill you in on everything you need to know to make sure visitors receive the warmest possible welcome in the 2017 season.
At the end, there is a multiple choice quiz about what you have learned, so read each section carefully.
AFC Bournemouth in the Premier Division!


The professional way to set up your lighting rig for a video or photo shoot to properly balance your camera. Just aim your camera at this card and you're ready to roll. 7" x 5"
Portabrace cases have been built by hand in Vermont since 1972. And while professional audio and video technology continues to change at a relentlessly fast pace, one thing has remained the same for over 40 years: their commitment to quality. From the highest quality materials, to the hand-built wooden equipment models, to the reinforced sewing techniques designed to strengthen weight-bearing contact points, Portabrace production processes are designed to make their cases the toughest and most reliable products available. Living and working in harmony with nature is an important part of life in Vermont, and being eco-friendly to the community is as important to the Portabrace team as making quality products. Here are some things you may not know that Portabrace does every day to reduce waste and help preserve nature's bounty: -They never use exterior packaging. Portabrace cases are built to last so they don't worry about them getting damaged and they don't waste any extra plastic or cardboard. -They use precision auto-cutting machines to reduce discarded materials to an absolute minimum. -All foam and padding scraps are donated and used to fill Heart-2-Heart stuffed bears in Vermont. -Their production team has access to pattern instructions via wireless tablet computers so there's no need to print instructions, cut-schedules, or parts-lists.


text:
« Review of Anarchist Encounters: Russia in Revolution and The Experiment: Georgia's Forgotten Revolution, 1918-1921
Internationalists for Afrin and Ghouta »
Copyright Truthout.org. Reproduced with permission
Kim Stanley Robinson is an award-winning, New York Times-bestselling author. A science- and climate-fiction novelist, Robinson has written more than 20 books, including the bestselling Mars trilogy and the critically acclaimed Forty Signs of Rain, The Years of Rice and Salt, and 2312. In 2008, he was named a "Hero of the Environment" by Time magazine, and he works with the Sierra Nevada Research Institute.
In this interview, Truthout talks with Robinson about his books Green Earth and New York 2140. Set in the present or near future, Green Earth portrays struggles over climate science in the US capital, whereas New York 2140 depicts life in a 22nd century metropolis that has been inundated by the melted polar regions.
Stan, thank you kindly for being open to participating in this interview. First, Ursula K. Le Guin passed away recently. Her influence on your own creative writing is marked. Do you have any reflections on Le Guin's life and work that you wish to share?
I wrote a memorial statement after her death for Scientific American. What I can add to that now as I continue to feel the loss of her living presence, is that in listening to the science fiction community talk about her, I'm struck by how beloved she was, both her and her work, and I'm thinking now that this was a very unusual quality in her work and her person. Also, less crucially, her work always had a quick sureness about it; she didn't waste words or pile on details. She cut a clean line, as surfers would say. That's the mark of a good style: distinctive and clear. Her prose has a poetry to it.
One major theme in Green Earth and New York 2140 is democracy versus capitalism. New York 2140 begins with a statement of Proudhonian or Marxian value analysis: The coders Mutt and Jeff (as workers) create the surplus-value (profit) that drives the capitalist monster which persists even in the year 2140, after it has melted Greenland and parts of Antarctica, raising sea levels by 50 feet and devastating coastal and low-lying regions. You clarify that it is capitalism that is responsible for such ecological catastrophe, in parallel to the grossly unequal wealth and power distribution it engenders. Capital's class divisions are symbolized in New York 2140 in the struggle between flooded lower Manhattan and the intertidal region versus uptown, where the superscrapers of the rich stand on higher ground. Ultimately, you envision mass popular resistance building up from a rent strike toward a global general strike to overturn this oppressive system. Is this how we should wield revolutionary democracy and organize?
A fiscal strike is one possible way to exert people power. Finance is systemically over-leveraged — and therefore in a precarious position — if something like the 2008 crash were to occur again. Such a crash will happen anytime there is a crisis of confidence in the markets and in the value of money, and the various money-surrogates. People could all together and at once refuse regularly scheduled payments, or less radically, they could together remove their money from banks and put them in credit unions. Done as a mass-action, this would crash the system. After that, there would have to be a plan to rescue the banks by nationalizing them, as we did to [General Motors] in 2009. This is just one tactic and just one step on the road to post-capitalism, but it does point out the power people have as the ultimate source of value, including financial value. Finance is parasitical on ordinary people, so some modes of detoxification are available. The parasites can't live on their own.
Your exploration of the exercise of autonomy and egalitarian cooperation at the MetLife Tower, transformed into a cooperative living residence, and via the Lower Manhattan Mutual Aid Society in New York 2140 recalls the anarcho-communist Peter Kropotkin's analysis in Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution (1902). Indeed, your Mr. Hexter advises his youthful counterparts that "[h]elping animals or helping people" would be just ways of being in the world. May I ask to what degree libertarian socialism inspires you?
I have never read a definition of the word "libertarian" that makes any sense to me, nor sounds attractive as a principle, so I avoid that word as much as I can. Maybe "democratic socialism" is the better term for me — the idea being that people in democracies would elect representatives that would then pass laws based on socialist principles. That is a story I'm often interested in telling, as something that could and should happen in our near future. It's my form of utopian science fiction. The social democracies of north Europe and the name "social democrat" also resonate for me, although these political parties, when in power in Europe, have had to make alliances and compromises with capitalism that make them far from satisfactory. But from the viewpoint of the United States, they look like at least a step along the path to more justice. There would be more steps later. I usually favor stepwise reform, but I have to admit we need the steps to come really fast, one after the next, now that climate change is about to overwhelm us.
In both Green Earth and New York 2140, you raise many imaginative possibilities in terms of collective responses to climate catastrophe that we might want to consider: redirecting excess sea-level rise into East Antarctica and inland deserts; introducing Arctic polar bears to Antarctica to avoid extinction; designing floating cities; rebuilding beaches and shorelines; and infusing the Arctic Ocean with vast quantities of salt transported in container fleets in order to restart the thermohaline circulation, or Gulf Stream, threatened by global warming. The emphasis on cooperatives and the commons in New York 2140, in parallel to Green Earth's examination of simple living, "freeganism," and the transition to wind, water and solar energy gives us a lot to think about.
Some of these ideas have been explored by research institutes since I wrote about them in my novels. I don't think the researchers involved read my novels; I think they are ideas that emerge naturally given the problems we are facing. So, pumping seawater up onto the Antarctic ice cap could be done, but would require something like 7 percent of all the energy humanity creates. Even so, it might be considered a good idea compared to losing all sea level infrastructure and beaches and ecologies. Assisted migration is being planned and even tried experimentally, and this will continue, but polar bears to Antarctica was my idea of a joke. It has been taken up and studied, however. Salting the Gulf Stream would probably not work, and yet it might be tried if the Gulf Stream stalled, just to see.
Still, you have caught the drift of my fiction — I'm interested in describing actions like these. Some are geoengineering, some are political economy and involve return of the commons, socialism, clean energy, etc.
Over the course of Green Earth, we see "gradualist-progressive" elements within the State evermore placing science center-stage in the struggle to curb capitalism's contributions to climate change. We encounter Charlie Quibler, the young aide to Sen. Phil Chase, drafting a bill to legislate the implementation of recommendations made by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), only to have the law inevitably watered down by legislators, including Chase himself. Then, Washington, DC, is struck by a massive storm, and it is on the flooded Mall that Quibler confronts Chase, imploring him to finally do something about climate change. Subsequently, Chase announces his Democratic presidential candidacy at the North Pole — or what's left of it — and upon being elected as the "first scientific presidential candidate," he launches an emergency climate mobilization in the "first 60 days" of his administration. In New York 2140, similarly, there is a revolutionary, popular upsurge which follows a massive hurricane that sweeps through the city; yet here, too, the revolt "lives on" through the State. In light of these social-democratic models you present for evidence-based policy-making and your view that scientific inquiry is linked to justice and fairness, what do you make of the status of science now one year into the Trump regime?
It's been a year of continuous assault on science and justice by the Trump administration, and it's been shocking to see how many people there are willing to implement such a … wicked vision…. But all of these poor people will immediately run to a scientist the moment they feel sick — that's their doctors. They believe in science when they're scared for their lives. What this reveals is their hypocrisy … and greed, but also, the strength of the system they're attacking, which enfolds them completely. We live in a world that is a scientific achievement, and we can't live without the scientific achievements, and even though some of the scientific achievements have definitely led us to our current crisis — public health and agriculture leading to quick population rise, and carbon-burning energy leading to climate change — still, it's science in action that will be involved in all the solutions, along with politics aiming our scientific work.
I think the science is robust and will survive this attack from Trump, his supporters, the Republican Party in the US and capitalism worldwide. There will be damage, and the political battles will never end, but over the long arc of history. You know the rest.
In New York 2140, you cite John Dos Passos recalling a meeting with Emma Goldman at which "everybody [gathered] was for peace and the cooperative commonwealth and the Russian Revolution." It is clear that your work features several anarchistic characters and themes, yet you also often invoke Lincoln's vision of government "of the people, by the people, and for the people" as an ideal. So, 100-plus years since the Russian Revolution, do you consider the state necessary for the transition to an egalitarian, ecological post-capitalist world?
Yes, I do. This is not an easy thing to say, given how much that is bad has accrued around what we call "the state" in world history. But the term is probably too broad and philosophical. If you want to use it, and speak at that level of broad generality, I'll join briefly and say, we need the state itself to become just and scientific, and the expression of everyone alive agreeing how to live together. That agreement formalized as laws becomes the state…. Best to focus on creating a good state based on just laws. For getting through the climate change emergency, I think it's the only way that will work.
In closing, do you have any thoughts for the ongoing struggle of promoting "compassion for all sentient beings" (Green Earth) within the context of the sixth mass extinction?
Time is running short in terms of dodging a really bad sixth mass extinction that would result if we create a much, much warmer world by our burning of carbon into the atmosphere. If we can quickly reduce our carbon burn, which is really what powers our culture now, that would be a huge change and would allow all sorts of other good potentialities to come to pass. We have to keep emphasizing the need to decarbonize fast. Fortunately, the technologies to do this include women's rights (this stabilizes population) and economic equality (this reduces impacts of poverty and over-consumption). Justice is a climate-change technology of great power, so there is no need to set up false dichotomies as to which good cause we support. The good causes reinforce each other and we need them all at once. This is why capitalism has to give way to an ecologically-based post-capitalism, which, in some features, will be aspects of socialism chosen democratically. We have to figure out a way to pay ourselves to do the work of survival.
Tags: capitalism, class struggle, clifi, climate fiction, Compassion, credit unions, democratic socialism, ecology, egalitarianism, Emma Goldman, extinction, fiscal strike, freeganism, general strike, Green Earth, Gulf Stream, IPCC, Kim Stanley Robinson, KSR, Marx, mutual aid, New York 2140, New York City, Peter Kropotkin, polar bears, profit, Proudhon, rent strike, Russian Revolution, science fiction, scifi, sixth mass extinction, social democracy, socialism, State, surplus value, Truthout, Ursula Le Guin, value, women's rights, WWS
This entry was posted on March 17, 2018 at 2:38 pm and is filed under 'development', Abya Yala, anarchism, biology, book reviews, climate catastrophe, displacement, Europe, health, imperialism, Imperiled Life, literature, reformism, requiems, Revolution, small-island states, South Asia, U.S., war.	You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


The top primary care doctors in Indianapolis, IN have completed the required education and acquired the necessary proficiency in the specialty of primary care medicine. During an appointment with a primary care practitioner, patients should discuss all of their symptoms, existing medical conditions and other concerns. If you or someone you know needs treatment, procedure or a test done by a primary care practitioner, you can find the best primary care doctors in Indianapolis, IN using Vitadox.


Come see this level close to an Acre Lot just North of Crestview High School. Backs up to adjacent neighbors Pond/Lake. Also Available are Listed Lots at various Prices on Susan Drive, Edelstein Drive, Seven Ducks Lane and Phillip Road in the WoodLands Of Whispering Pines and Parker Heights S/D. Check out on the Multi Photo page for Aerial of Area, Subdivision Maps with Size of Lots and Prices, HOA Covenants and Restrictions (NOTE Annual Dues being reassessed) and photos of the Subdivision Community Lake Area plus various Homes in the Neighborhood. Seller is a Licensed Realtor and willing to do Owner Financing with 40% Down. Call your Realtor for remaining Terms. Take the time to drive out and see this Lot and the other available Lots!


text:
Huntington er en by i den amerikanske delstat West Virginia. Byen har  indbyggere og er administrativt centrum i det amerikanske county Cabell County.

Personer fra Huntington

 Thomas Massie (1971-), politiker i USAs kongress
 Justice M. Chambers
 Robert E. Femoyer
 Evan Jenkins, politiker i U.S. Congress

Referencer

Eksterne henvisninger

 Huntingtons hjemmeside (engelsk)

Byer i West Virginia

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
The High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to Papua New Guinea is the United Kingdom's foremost diplomatic representative in the Independent State of Papua New Guinea.

Papua New Guinea gained independence (from Australia) in 1975. The new state chose to be a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, so the UK's diplomatic representative is a High Commissioner rather than an ambassador.

List of heads of mission

High Commissioners

===

1975–1977: George Baker
1977–1982: Donald Middleton
1982–1986: Arthur Collins
1986–1989: Michael Howell
1989–1991: John Sharland
1991–1994: John Guy
1994–1997: Brian Low
1997–2000: Charles Drace-Francis
2000–2003: Simon Scaddan
2003–2007: David Gordon-Macleod
2007–2010: David Dunn
2010–2014: Jackie Barson
2014–2018: Simon Tonge

2018–: Keith Scott

References

External links
UK and Papua New Guinea, gov.uk

Papua New Guinea

United Kingdom
Papua New Guinea and the Commonwealth of Nations
United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Nations


text:
Rosemary, That's for Remembrance (1914)
Dorinda, a mountain girl, left alone by the death of her parents, is adopted by distant relatives, Mr. and Mrs. Greer. Mrs. Greer is not overjoyed by this addition to their family, because all her mother-love and affection is given to their only son, Harvey, just finishing a term at college. Shortly after Dorinda is taken into the family, Harvey returns home and becomes interested in the girl. Dorinda goes into the garden to gather some flowers, and Harvey finds her there. While arranging the flowers, he notes a sprig of rosemary and asks her if she knows the ancient meaning of the word. She replies in the negative. So Harvey proceeds to bring out a volume of Shakespeare and turning to Hamlet, reads the lines of Ophelia in the fourth act, quoting: "There's Rosemary, that's for remembrance, Pray love, remember." Dorinda and Harvey become deeply interested in each other. A definite love affair, however, is averted. A former college friend obtains for Harvey an appointment as attaché with a diplomatic representative. The departure of Harvey to Washington is a blow to Dorinda, who cannot bear to say good-bye, so she writes him a short note. Harvey takes from the flower garden a sprig of rosemary, which he puts in a flower pot and leaves it at Dorinda's door as a parting remembrance. Dorinda cherishes the sprig of rosemary. Harvey becomes busy with his new duties and forgets his former sweetheart. One evening at an embassy ball, he becomes attracted at the first sight of a beautiful girl, one of the guests. She is also interested in Harvey, but coyly avoids him, although she encourages him by dropping a blossom from her bouquet, feeling sure that he will take up the gage thus thrown down, for seeking a further acquaintance. Little Dorinda is forgotten. The unknown coquette finally rewards Harvey with a smile, but shortly afterwards she leaves the embassy ball and Harvey despairs of ever seeing her again. He returns home for a week-end visit with his family and at church Sunday morning is astounded and delighted to see the beauty of the Washington ball room in the congregation. Then he discovers that her name is Margaret, and that she is visiting her aristocratic relatives, the Pryors, who are neighbors of the Greers. General Pryor introduces Harvey to the beautiful unknown and invites him to call at their residence. Harvey is delighted and loses no time in furthering his acquaintance with Margaret. His infatuation is noticeable, especially to Dorinda, who becomes heartbroken and downcast. A reception is given at the residence of the Pryors one evening, and Dorinda, who has not been invited, enters the grounds and peering through the window, discovers Harvey upon his knees before Margaret, making an avowal of his love. A short time after, while Margaret is in the woods sketching, she sees a picturesque old man taking a drink of water from an old-fashioned well. She proceeds to sketch him and when Harvey finds her there she shows him the sketch and asks him who that picturesque old man is. Harvey replies without shame, that it is his father. She is at first incredulous, but when she discovers that Harvey is manfully speaking the truth, her affection for him becomes lukewarm. One night Margaret is left alone with the children in the Pryor residence, and one of the little ones become seriously ill. Not knowing whom to summon for help, she sends a note to Harvey begging him to procure a doctor at once. Harvey shows the note to Dorinda, and asks her to help save the life of the child by going at once to the Pryor residence and giving such aid as she can administer until the arrival of the physician. She demurs at first, but finally rides off on horseback. On the way her steed is frightened by an automobile and she is thrown violently to the ground. When Harvey and the doctor arrive upon the scene in an automobile they find Dorinda unconscious, and carry her at once to the Pryor residence where she is restored to consciousness. Harvey is overcome by the accident and his heart at last tells him the truth. It is Dorinda whom he loves. Margaret finds them together and realizing the situation, resigns all claims to Harvey.
—Moving Picture World synopsis
Rosemary, That's for Remembrance


text:
Dek or DEK may refer to:
 Dek language
 Dek Island, Ethiopia
 Dek (news), subhead
 Dek, a proposed name for digit 10 (↊) in duodecimal
 DEK (gene), a human gene
 Dek, Qazvin, a village in Iran
 German Evangelical Church Confederation (German: ; 1922–1933)
 German Evangelical Church in Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia
 Deutsche Einheitskurzschrift, a German stenography system
 Democratic National Party (Cyprus), a Greek Cypriot political party
 Diethyl ketone, a flammable chemical
 Donald Ervin Knuth, an American computer scientist, mathematician, and professor


text:
'Succession's Jesse Armstrong On The Dangers Of Creating Unsavoury Characters: "You Have To Be Careful" – LFF
Jesse Armstrong
Nish Kumar
Damon Wise
October 16, 2021, 11:01 AM ·4 min read
British comedy and television writer
British stand-up comedian, actor, and tv/radio presenter
Australian-born American media mogul
A day after the European premiere of season three of his HBO series Succession at the London Film Festival, the show's creator, Jesse Armstrong, took to the stage with comedian Nish Kumar to discuss the art of screenwriting.
In between dispensing pearls of wisdom for aspiring comedy writers ("Don't write any jokes," was especially memorable), Armstrong recalled a varied and eclectic career that, surprisingly, began on children's TV with shows such as ITV's My Parents Are Aliens and BBC's The Queen's Nose.
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Armstrong discussed his work with veteran writing partner Sam Bain, recalling how an unsuccessful pitch for a stoner comedy called Spencer, about a "mildly sarcastic" video store clerk, was a rare misfire for the duo, who went on to create popular Channel 4 shows such as Peep Show and Fresh Meat. They would go on to collaborate with Armando Iannucci on BBC's The Thick Of It and its 2009 big-screen spin off In The Loop.
The writer was effusive about the return of Succession, which airs on Sky in the UK, but sketchy on the details; suffice to say that U.S. media giants the Roy family are still at war with one another, with patriarch Logan Roy (Brian Cox), seeing his company face scandal and ruin amid allegations of serious misconduct in the ranks.
Armstrong acknowledged that Rupert Murdoch was the original inspiration for the show.
"I read a lot about Rupert Murdoch and his family, but I couldn't get it away," he said. "It was like a TV play or a single drama, and then when Peep Show was ending, I started to think about other projects. I watched a documentary about the Dursts [The Jinx], I read about Sumner Redstone, another big American magnate, and I read Tom Bower's Robert Maxwell book, as well as some stuff about Hearst.
"I started reading about media moguls in general, and Sumner Redstone and Rupert Murdoch both made the same joke: they both were asked, 'What will happen when you die?' and they both said they didn't plan to die. It just struck me: what's going on with these men in their 80s and 90s who are still packing their diaries every day? I felt that was something quite basic there about feeling a loss of influence at the end of your life, so I started to think there was a show about what those people are like in general."
In case anyone was wondering whether the new series might finally spell the end for Logan Roy, Armstrong hinted otherwise.
"I originally thought Logan Roy might die at the end of the first episode," he recalled, "then I thought he might die at the end of the first series, but those thoughts were never definitive, they were just vague feelings. And as soon as I started writing it, I knew he shouldn't die at the end of the first episode, and as soon as I was in the writers' room for the first season I knew he shouldn't die at the end of the first season – he is the planet, the sun they all revolve around. It might be fascinating one day to find out what happens when that goes, but not yet."
Asked whether he felt responsibility for the cult status afforded his more unsavoury characters – as well as Logan Roy, there is also The Thick Of It's foul-mouthed Malcolm Trucker – Armstrong was unrepentant.
"You have to be careful," he noted. "You have to be able to stand behind what you write and believe in it. For example, Logan Roy: it occurred to me that some people who watch Succession don't take to it because they find the people … not nice. And what's interesting is that people who watch it more, I don't think they find the people nice but they find them not unwatchable. And I don't think that's because their actions, objectively, are becoming any nicer, it's because, like someone you know in real life, you come to know more about them and why they act the way they do. Does that excuse them? Well, that's a question, I think, that's legitimate to throw back on the audience. It's like Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal: if you think that's a recipe book, that's not on the author, that's on you. You've got to trust the audience, and hopefully if you do interesting work you'll get an audience that are interested and engaged, But if they go out thinking, 'Ra-ra-ra, I wanna be like Malcolm Tucker,' then at a certain point you can't take responsibility for that person. That person's just a moron."
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Republicans in 7 states submitted documents falsely certifying the election for Trump. Most State Attorneys General are investigating if it constitutes fraud.
American Oversight found that groups in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin sent in false documents to Congress.


itoday - Prabowo Subianto – Sandiaga Uno campaign team advisor deputy Hidayat Nur Wahid denies that the speech Prabowo delivered yesterday had negated any achievements the Jokowi-led running administration achieved.
According to Hidayat, Prabowo will actually continue the current government programs that are performing well if he gets elected.
"[Prabowo] even asserted he will continue to pursue Pak Jokowi's work performances that are mostly good," said Hidayat at the parliamentary complex in Senayan today, January 15.
Hidayat underlined the fact that Prabowo delivered a form of criticism in his speech, and that it is a normal approach considering that the opposition is meant to be an alternative for the presidential election.
"We wouldn't just agree on everything that Pak Jokowi does. What use would it be for competition?" he said.
Previous reports said PDIP secretary general Hasto Kristiyanto accusing Prabowo of negating Indonesia's achievements under the Jokowi administration in his speech at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) on Monday night.


text:
Q: Asymptotic distribution of Gini's mean difference
"Derive the asymptotic distribution of Gini's mean difference, which is defined as $$\binom{n}{2}^{-1}\sum\sum_{i<j}|X_i - X_j|."$$

This is a problem from chapter 12 in Van Der Vaart - Asymptotic Statistics. And I feel like I'm not getting any smarter by reading his examples in said chapter since they mostly skip the part of actually deriving the asymptotic distribution and skips directly to the conclusions.
($X_i$ and $X_j$ are i.i.d random variables)
If anybody can explain this to me (alternatively refer me to some other source of information on the subject) that would be great!
Thanks!

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Η θεωρία του ευφυούς σχεδιασμού αναφέρεται στην αιτία της ύπαρξης του σύμπαντος αλλά και της ζωής στον πλανήτη μας, χαρακτηρίζοντάς την έναν νου με ευφυΐα που σχεδίασε και ουσιαστικά και τα δημιούργησε.
Ο ευφυή σχεδιασμός προτείνει δύο κύρια επιχειρήματα εναντίον των εξελικτικών προτάσεων: την μη αναγώγιμη πολυπλοκότητα (irreducible complexity: πολυπλοκότητα που δεν προκύπτει από την ανάλυση και σύνθεση των συστατικών της) και την εξειδικευμένη πολυπλοκότητα. Αυτά τα επιχειρήματα προσφέρουν εξακριβώσεις ότι συγκεκριμένα χαρακτηριστικά (βιολογικά και πληροφοριακά αντίστοιχα) είναι πολύ πολύπλοκα για να είναι αποτέλεσμα φυσικών διαδικασιών.
↑ «Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District Trial transcript: Day 6 (October 5), PM Session, Part 1». TalkOrigins Archive. Houston, TX: The TalkOrigins Foundation, Inc. Ανακτήθηκε στις 2012-06-16. Q. Has the Discovery Institute been a leader in the intelligent design movement? A. Yes, the Discovery Institute's Center for Science and Culture. Q. And are almost all of the individuals who are involved with the intelligent design movement associated with the Discovery Institute? A. All of the leaders are, yes. — Barbara Forrest, 2005, testifying in the Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District trial.
«Frequently Asked Questions About 'Intelligent Design'». American Civil Liberties Union. New York: American Civil Liberties Union. September 16, 2005. Who is behind the ID movement?. Ανακτήθηκε στις 2012-06-16.
Kahn, Joseph P. (July 27, 2005). «The evolution of George Gilder». The Boston Globe (New York: The New York Times Company). http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2005/07/27/the_evolution_of_george_gilder/?page=full. Ανακτήθηκε στις 2014-02-28.
«WHO's WHO: Intelligent Design Proponents» (PDF). Science & Theology News (Durham, NC: Science & Theology News, Inc.). November 2005. ISSN 1530-6410. http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/filesDB-download.php?command=download&id=602. Ανακτήθηκε στις 2007-07-20.
Williams, Devon (December 14, 2007). «Friday Five: William A. Dembski». CitizenLink.com. Colorado Springs, CO: Focus on the Family Action, Inc. Αρχειοθετήθηκε από το πρωτότυπο στις 2007-12-17. Ανακτήθηκε στις 2014-02-28. I believe God created the world for a purpose. The Designer of intelligent design is, ultimately, the Christian God. — William A. Dembski, a senior fellow of the Discovery Institute's Center for Science and Culture, when asked in an interview whether his research concluded that God is the Intelligent Designer.
↑ 4,0 4,1 Meyer, Stephen C. (December 1, 2005). «Not by chance». National Post (Don Mills, Ontario: CanWest MediaWorks Publications Inc.). Αρχειοθετήθηκε από το πρωτότυπο στις 2006-05-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20060501021540/http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/issuesideas/story.html?id=8f7f51f2-a196-4677-9399-46f4f17b5b61. Ανακτήθηκε στις 2014-02-28.
↑ «CSC - Top Questions: Questions About Intelligent Design: What is the theory of intelligent design?». Center for Science and Culture. Seattle, WA: Discovery Institute. Ανακτήθηκε στις 2012-06-16.
«Intelligent Design Theory in a Nutshell» (PDF). Seattle, WA: Intelligent Design and Evolution Awareness Center. 2004. Ανακτήθηκε στις 2012-06-16.
«Intelligent Design». Intelligent Design network. Shawnee Mission, KS: Intelligent Design network, inc. Ανακτήθηκε στις 2012-06-16.
↑ «An intelligently designed response». Nature Methods (London: Nature Publishing Group) 4 (12): 983. December 2007. doi:10.1038/nmeth1207-983. ISSN 1548-7091. http://www.nature.com/nmeth/journal/v4/n12/full/nmeth1207-983.html. Ανακτήθηκε στις 2014-02-28.
↑ Meyer, Stephen C.; Nelson, Paul A. (May 1, 1996). «Getting Rid of the Unfair Rules». Origins & Design (Colorado Springs, CO: Access Research Network). http://www.discovery.org/a/1685. Ανακτήθηκε στις 2007-05-20.
Johnson, Phillip E. (May–June 1996). «Third-Party Science». Books & Culture 2 (3). http://www.ctlibrary.com/bc/1996/mayjun/6b3030.html. Ανακτήθηκε στις 2012-06-16. The review is reprinted in full by Access Research Network [archived 10 February 1999].
Meyer, Stephen C. (2000). «The Scientific Status of Intelligent Design: The Methodological Equivalence of Naturalistic and Non-Naturalistic Origins Theories». Science and Evidence for Design in the Universe: Papers Presented at a Conference Sponsored by the Wethersfield Institute, New York City, September 25, 1999. Proceedings of the Wethersfield Institute. 9. San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press. ISBN 0-89870-809-5. OCLC 45720008. LCCN 00102374. http://www.discovery.org/a/1780. Ανακτήθηκε στις 2014-12-01.
See also Hanna, John (February 13, 2007). «Kansas Rewriting Science Standards». Guardian Unlimited. Associated Press (London: Guardian Media Group). Αρχειοθετήθηκε από το πρωτότυπο στις 2007-02-16. https://web.archive.org/web/20070216004715/http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6413677,00.html. Ανακτήθηκε στις 2014-02-28.
Τελευταία τροποποίηση 09:59, 22 Μαρτίου 2019.


-ISEP asks for $9,050 for their program, housing not included. With housing, which is very limited in Marburg and hard to come by, the price becomes $10,400. This is a far cry from IUSP's €5,500 (approximately $6,160) registration fee.
German History and Culture course (56 hours) <- When I was there it was fairly worthless because our teacher didn't want to be there, so I expect it will be better for future participants if they get a new teacher or she seriously improves. The field trips, however, were excellent. Amongst them were trips to Marburg's dunkle café- a café where guests are served in complete blackness by blind servers, Blista- a school for the blind and visually impaired, a tour of Marburg's Mosque, a tour of Marburg's new Synagogue, a tour of wind turbines outside the city proper, a trip to Berlin (a tour of Stazi prison- a place for East Germany's prisoners of war and undesirables, the Reichstag- Germany's parliament, the Brandenburg Gate- a war monument built by Fredrich the Great, and a walking tour), a trip to Weimar (city tour and tour of Buchenwald, a Nazi concentration camp uphill and fully visible to the town below. They didn't give us much free time on this trip so if you'd like to see the museums I suggest skipping the Weimar city tour), and a trip to Koeln.
Conversation class (36 hours) <- meeting once a week during the regular semester and talking and playing games. We went to places I wouldn't have otherwise seen (example A: a local bar) and had a great Christmas party for our last meeting.
Meal subsidy (comes in the shape of a cafeteria debit card, charged with € 50 per month) Please note that they do not have a meal plan!
What does ISEP offer for an extra $ 3,000? It goes through IUSP so it gives you IUSP's program benefits plus it handles paperwork you would otherwise have to do yourself, such as arranging plane tickets and renewing passports. In my opinion ISEP is not worth it.
Length of your stay: an American quarter, a European quarter, or a full year of study?
-I was there for the shortest possible length, the American quarter, and it was fine. I learned a lot and my speaking skills improved dramatically even though I was only there for 4 ½ months. However long you think you want to and have the means to stay is what you should pick.
-Yes, they should, and they should translate to around a regular course load credits-wise for Western. If you want credits to count to your major, talk with you major and minor councilors in their departments to review the Marburg course list and see which classes fit Western's requirements. Remember that for some degrees, you'll need a certain number of elective credits within the degree, so even if a class doesn't sound exactly like a class offered at Western, you may still be able to count it towards your degree. But if a course calls to you and it's not within your degree, please consider it too.
Does the Mensa serve vegetarian and vegan options? Also, the IUSP tuition fee included a meal subsidy in the shape of a cafeteria debit card. If I don't use all the money on it, can I get refunded?
– Most Germans believe that rooming with a stranger (aka, a roommate) is crazy. Consequently the dorms seem to have high standards. I was in Fuchspass, and my room was not only bigger than Western's dorms, but it came with shelving, free bedding and a service that would wash the bedding and give you clean bedding every week, a walk-in closet, two big windows, a trashcan, a cozy chair, a desk, and a sink. It comes with its own heating system and on each floor there are bathrooms, showers, and a kitchen with lockers for your cooking gear.
Would I bring/ buy dishes and cooking supplies or is it included?
-You will need to buy your own cooking gear if you intend to cook. The student dorms each have a kitchen per floor with an oven and electric burners. No microwave, but it does have a compost and trash bin. The kitchens are cleaned by staff throughout the week. IUSP will have an item swap at the beginning of the program, which is made up of items left by previous IUSPers. Cooking gear may be available (for free).
Do they have washing machines? Are they labeled in English?
-There are washing machines and a dryer for each building. They are in German but there are translations on posters on the walls. Washing your clothes at 30*C should clean them without shrinking them. The dryers, however, are expensive to run, will not completely dry your clothes unless you turn the heat all the way up and have very small loads. If possible, you should buy some hangers in Marburg and hang clothes dry outside of your closet. The rooms will get humid so you'll need to balance between turning your thermostat up and opening the windows. It may be difficult in the beginning, but it gets much easier over time.
8.Where can I see a doctor if I get sick?
-(Firstly, my experience applies to people who have health insurance coverage overseas. This is something that you may be able to add onto your normal health insurance plan for the length of your stay.) If you feel ill and need to see a doctor to get a prescription for medicine, you should visit the hospital conveniently accessible via bus. The main entryway of the hospital has three different sets of doctors you could visit: the ER (downstairs, accessible through the left-hand elevators down the main entryway); a set of nose, ear, and throat doctors (available on the right side of the main entryway past the Apoteka); and a set of doctors which rotate (on the right side of the corridor, past the nose, ear, and throat doctors). If you ask the hospital staff for help at one of their many info desks, they should be able to point you in the right direction. The ER is the only one of the three that is open at all times, but only takes emergencies; hours are posted in front of each practice. The quality of the rotating doctors is a dependent on who is working that day: the first doctor I saw was great and gave me a prescription for the antibiotics I needed. The second doctor I saw to make sure I was 100% better from the previous illness thought my acne was herpes. The doctors and medical staff know some English, but it's much easier to communicate with them if you know German or have a friend who can translate for you. Any prescriptions can be filled at an Apoteka, or apothecary. Apothecaries and bakeries are on almost every other street, so don't worry about not being able to find one. Any apothecary will do.
9.How much German would I need to know to get the most out of the program?
-While you don't need to have any experience with German before you go, I am of the opinion that having a general understanding of the language before going will help have a better chance of reaching near fluency while you're in Marburg. It all comes down to why you're considering studying in a German-speaking country. For me, I had taken German in high school and at university, and my problem with German is that I hadn't heard it enough, so studying abroad was my last resort for improving my language skills enough so I could potentially use it in a professional setting. I simply didn't know enough before the trip, and the lessons that I did learn became jumbled in my head and I'd make many mistakes. Being in Germany however, helped me understand when to use which of the grammatical pieces I'd learned before, because German was all around me. The language classes IUSP has were also very good and helped polish my rough edges. If you'd like to go so you can become fluent, I'd suggest going as a junior; however, it also depends on your personal situation and language acquisition skills, so please don't be discouraged from going whenever you think is right.
-Despite copious quantities of graffiti, Marburg is very safe. Since my last class ended after the bus lines stopped running every 10-15 min, I opted to walk home instead. I would walk from the Elizabeth Kirche to the student dorms, a distance of about 1.5 miles. I never encountered any trouble walking back home even though it was late at night (around 10:00pm) and not all of the pathways I took were well lit. This being said, please use common sense and travel with a friend.
-On a different note, one of my friends in the program was profiled on multiple occasions inside and outside of Marburg. The son of native Mexicans, my friend has black hair and a lighter complexion than the rest of his family—appearances that many took to mean he was Middle Eastern. These assumptions were not usually a problem, but it was enough to get him eyed by a policeman at a Christkindlesmarkt. That was a little scary because all the policemen in Germany are armed to the teeth. I think traveling with other people made it safer for him to go to crowded events, because his travel mates could have vouched for him had he ever been confronted and being with lighter skinned people made authority figures see him as less of a potential threat.
Are there refugees in Marburg?
-There were no refugee camps as of my time abroad in the winter of 2017, but there are refugees in the city. Most of the possible refugees I saw were beggars, and people who actively try to get you to give them money. One woman asked me to 'donate money for my brother's operation' after 'giving' me a rose, only to later appear in the Mensa and ask people for 'money for the baby' whom she carried on her back. People offer roses in many cities in Germany, but if you take it you have to pay for it. Some of these people may be in real need, but most of them are beggars who station themselves by places where money will be (ie: the bank, the mall). The cost of living is relatively low in Germany, so it's entirely possible for these people to live off of donations perpetually. If you want to help these people, then please consider giving to programs that help refugees establish themselves in Germany, rather than giving donations to individuals. Marburg has a program to help refugees study in its university and some of the IUSP teachers are directly involved in teaching refugees German. The IUSP office should know more if you would like to look into this. 12. Are there any public holidays I should be aware of?
-Since Germany is not a secular country, many Catholic holidays are celebrated, and when they are, everything closes. The grocery stores and banks also aren't open on Sundays, so plan accordingly. There are some exceptions to this Sunday rule, as the hospital and a handful of museums stay open, so check their hours in advance.
13. Should I buy a Deutsche Bahn monthly/yearly pass so I can use the trains?
-Not necessarily. Part of your IUSP registration fee goes to buying you a semester ticket which lets you travel the entire state of Hesse for free using buses and trains. This means traveling to and throughout Marburg, Frankfurt, and Heidelberg are absolutely free. If you want to travel a long distance, I heard there are many affordable bus shuttles that can also take you to 'far off' places like France and Italy. During the program there isn't much time for sight-seeing because you're working on school stuff, so if you want to travel you should set aside time before or after the program.
15. Where can I ask the IUSP folks other questions?