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Marcia, Marcia, Marcia Clark
The former prosecutor discusses the latest episode of The People v. O.J. Simpson and her problems with the show's source material.
By Jeremy Stahl
Prosecutors Marcia Clark and Chris Darden confer during Darden's cross-examination of defense witness Rosa Lopez on Feb. 24, 1995, during the O.J. Simpson trial.
Pool/Getty Images
Tuesday's episode of the FX series The People v. O.J. Simpson, titled "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia," focused on the trials and travails of Simpson prosecutor and true-crime author Marcia Clark. Slate sat down with Clark a few weeks ago to discuss the series and her memories of the trial. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Jeremy Stahl: Tuesday's episode addresses the criticism of you during the O.J. trial, a lot of it unfair and a lot of it of a gendered and sexist nature. But there was also some support for you at the time. Ellen Goodman at the Boston Globe wrote a piece describing you as a feminist icon. Do you feel like you're getting more support now than you got back then, and did you feel the support you did get back then?
Marcia Clark: You know, truthfully, it was tough to feel anything at that time. I was so immersed in the trial. It was a nonstop, minute-by-minute immersion. I ate, slept, and breathed the trial, and it was like living in this bubble where … I can't tell you that I felt everything that was going on on the outside. Certainly I knew about the criticism. Of course I did, and every once in a while, someone would say something supportive. … The Boston Globe article was supportive, and things like that would filter through now and then, but to a large degree, I kind of tried to avoid it, because it was surprising, and it was kind of overwhelming. And it had never happened before. … It all kind of left me incredulous. I didn't understand why people cared about my hair or my makeup or my clothing. It was like, "I'm a prosecutor. I'm not a model. I'm not an actress." But somehow, we all got kind of turned into soap opera figures.
A prominent Los Angeles attorney said at the time, "She seems to change personalities like she's Sybil," the character from the cult film about multiple personality disorder. A UCLA law professor said you were going back and forth between being "coquettish or hostile." And I don't think Johnnie Cochran today could get away with calling you …
Hysterical.
Hysterical. Or that F. Lee Bailey could get away with describing you as shrill. How do you think that that would play out today?
I think a lot of the things that people got away with saying about me back then wouldn't fly today. I think that people would call them out. I think women would call them out. That's what's so different, and saying things like, "She's coquettish in one moment and harsh in another moment" is ridiculous. Who's one-note throughout their lives? I mean, who doesn't at some point get a little softer, a little hard?
The portrayal of you seems to be one of the more sympathetic portions of the show. Do you think they're getting that aspect of it at least somewhat right?
I do. Sarah Paulson is mind-blowing. I mean, she always is. She's always fantastic. I've never seen her be less than brilliant, but she's really amazing in this role, and she managed to deliver on how I was feeling on the inside, even though I couldn't show that in court, because you have to kind of have a poker face in court.
You were going through a divorce. You had—as the show depicts—issues with child custody, and then all this other—the outside media stuff. So, the show got that stuff right, you're saying.
Yeah, they really did. They got what it was like to be under pressure and under fire from all corners of your life, of my life, and how difficult it was to deal with, and in a way, for me, diving into the trial every day, going into the office every day was an escape, because I could dive into the case and pull and push it all out.
There's a line in the show when Sarah Paulson as you is talking to Chris Darden, and she says, "I'm not a public personality." And she also said this about you in an interview: "She just didn't have the skin for it. She didn't have that razzle-dazzle that Johnnie Cochran had, and they all had. She just wasn't designed as much for public life." How do you feel about that depiction?
Certainly, I did not have the experience on camera that they had. They had been doing the cable news circuit. They had been, you know, doing a lot of interviewing, and they had a facility with reporters that I never needed to have. But also, a prosecutor cannot be razzle-dazzle-y, especially in a [situation] like that where there is so much tension and so much racial tension around the case and all the characters.
What I have to do is be very dressed-down, very direct, very low-key. People looked to prosecutors in a different way. They looked to us to deliver the truth. They looked to us to fight hard but fair. They looked to us to be kind of the deliverers of justice. I don't think any prosecutor should walk into a courtroom and think they're going to wow a jury with catchphrases and clichés and that kind of performance.
The show depicts your appearance, specifically your hair, as being an important factor for the DA's office, and something that got brought up among your colleagues and to you directly, something that you had to address. How much of a distraction was the media in that sense?
I mean, I knew about it. I knew that, and they would talk, the people in my office said, "You know, you got to dress better. You got to look," that kind of thing. And people donated clothes to me. This was … kind of embarrassing, but at the same time, all I felt was, "Look, if that's what you need, that's fine. I don't care. I don't care what I'm wearing, and I don't care about my hair either. So, whatever you say is fine by me." All I cared about was the jury. What are they seeing? What do they care about? I'm pretty sure they didn't care about my hair or my suits, just a guess. But if people thought they did, or if people thought the office looked bad because I didn't look spiffy enough, I'm happy to change.
But there were parts of the media coverage of it that made me, like, incredulous. For example, my favorite one that cracks me up to this day is my makeover. What makeover? So, my makeover consisted of a concealer pencil, which my girlfriend gave to me, because she said, "Really, you got to do something about those circles under, that's terrible." So I said, "OK." And then, my youngest son, who was then 2 years old, decided it fit perfectly in the sprinkler pipe, and it did, and there was my makeover, that and my perm grew out, because people who know about hair will tell you, when you have short hair, perms grow out really fast.
In the show, it is portrayed as this big makeover scene. What did you think when you were watching that?
I think they had a point to make, and they made it really well. They're going for the bigger picture, and I applaud them for it.
You've said before that the show gets the big stuff right. You've also acknowledged inaccuracies. What are the big-picture elements that you think the show, or Jeffrey Toobin's book on which the show is based, got wrong?
The whole business with the jury consultant, that I wouldn't listen to the jury consultant. Now, that's based on the jury consultant [as a source]. Because I fired him. So, he didn't have a lot of good things to say about me after I kicked him out of the courtroom. And what happened was, he was telling me that African-American women, and men, but particularly women, were going to be a very difficult sell, and I had to make sure to keep them off the jury. And I said, "OK, excuse me. That's illegal, it's unethical, it's also impossible. We are going to have African-American men and women on this jury. What you need to do, your job, is to tell me how to reach them. That's what I need."
No answer. His answer, "Talk more softly. Wear pastels." So, this guy, who never bothered to read one single jury questionnaire, came up with this genius advice. You know, he couldn't be more useless, and then sat in court and just looked terrible. He looked like the rich white fat cat that, you know, that we didn't need sitting next to us, and I watched the jurors looking at him, looking at me, looking at him. It was terrible, and embarrassing.
I had a chance to talk to Jeff Toobin earlier today, and he said that you told him that you thought you had a special rapport with black Americans.
I never told Jeff anything.
You never told Jeff …
I never talked to Jeff.
He said, "She told me this: She thought she had a special rapport with African-American women," and in previous trials you'd had a particularly good rapport with black women.
No, it's not true.
It's absolutely false. Absolutely false.
So, you and Jeff didn't have that conversation?
I never had a conversation with him during the trial, period. I didn't even meet him until after the trial, so I don't know what he's talking about. But he does a lot of that kind of stuff. He implies, he moves, you know what I mean? He's kind of shifty in the way that he represents things, but I didn't talk to him. And I certainly wouldn't have said that. What is true is I did say, and this is what I said probably to the jury consultant, not Jeff, I said, "In previous trials, I had no problem with African-American women, even when the defendant was black. But I know it's different in this case." And here's the thing. It's a stupid thing for him to say. It makes no sense. I sat in the focus group room and I [watched], you know?
The hands went up, you know? They showed it in the series very well, that the racial divide was absolutely crystal-clear, couldn't be more clear, and that women in particular, African-American women in particular, no fans of mine, so I wasn't in denial about that. The question was, what do I do? I knew there were going to be African-American women on the jury, that it was unavoidable, and I'm not allowed to excuse any African-American juror based on race. That's illegal, also unethical, and I can't possibly excuse them all. So, the question was never whether they were fans of mine. That's a silly thing to say. I knew it better.
Jeff Toobin told me that you haven't asserted that anything in his book is specifically inaccurate.
Can you name some specifics? Some that might have even ended up on the show?
So, I don't know if they wound up on the show, and I didn't read his book cover to cover. I had excerpts sent to me by friends of mine. One was sent to me just yesterday, it made me laugh out loud. So, he says that Mark Fuhrman was never prepared for testimony, and that the extent of his preparation for testimony at the trial was a half-hour in my office while he was eating a sandwich, which is just a complete and total lie. It's completely false. In fact, Fuhrman was grilled by a battery of prosecutors for days. Chris [Darden] took him down to the grand jury room, and they cross-examined him for days on end, to a point where, when he finally wound up being my witness, the former partner of his came to me and said, "Be careful. He's about to snap. They've pushed him too hard. He's gone through so much."
He went through so many hours and days of cross-examination [prep] that it was probably too much. At the end of the day, then, I spent an afternoon with him, but he was very well-prepared. He certainly had been through his paces by that time, but half an hour with a sandwich? That's so false.
I mean, he had other things that were just, from a trial strategy point of view, just plain old stupid, just stupid. Here's one. … A friend of mine wrote to me last week, because people are now reading the book, so they're telling me, "Did you know he said this?" And these are trial lawyers, and they're laughing at him, and so, he said, "The answer to Mark Fuhrman was not to present his testimony at all, and let Phil Vannatter or Tom Lange testify to finding the glove." Right? Don't call him. OK. He thinks we should not have called Mark Fuhrman and let somebody else testify to finding the glove. OK, so what happens next? Of course, the defense then starts asking every cop. "Do you know where Mark Fuhrman is? Do you know, he found the glove, though, right? Didn't he? Didn't he? Didn't he?" Then, Johnnie goes out on the courthouse steps and says, "They're hiding the racist. They're hiding the guy who planted the glove. Of course, that's a concession. They're basically admitting it." Jeff Toobin dismisses that in his book as, "That could have been easily handled, no big deal," which shows you that he has very little trial experience, and even less experience with a jury that is diverse.
Toobin said: "I think the defense was overwhelmed, and to some extent surprised by, the intensity of the anti-LAPD feeling on the jury." Did you feel like you were overwhelmed or surprised at all by that?
We were not overwhelmed by that. Jeffrey was overwhelmed by that, clearly. We'd been working downtown, facing the racial divide when it came to the views of law enforcement for 10 years. We were downtown, all of us, working in the criminal courts building during the Rodney King riots. We knew what we were facing, and we knew how hot it was and what a big problem it was. We saw it firsthand. So, when a famous African-American man is now charged with a double homicide, yeah, we knew we were going to be in serious trouble, and I found out early, early on that, for a brief stutter step, I thought maybe not. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, because Simpson was so not a civil rights icon and was so much invested in the white world.
Within a week after the murders, my friends in the branch courts that were working in areas that had more heavily minority population were saying, "They are not fans of yours. It's going to be very tough." And then, we convened the grand jury. That was two weeks after the murders, and the grand jury ultimately had to be disbanded because they were tainted by press. They had been watching television. I think, really, to their credit, who could avoid it? And they were overheard talking about it, and my grand jury adviser, who by the way was the prosecutor of the Rodney King trial, came to me and said, "I heard two African-American women talking, and they were saying Nicole had it coming."
So, no. We weren't overwhelmed. We knew what we were facing. We just, the question was, what do you do about it?
Toobin also said that you "believed and tried this case like it was a domestic violence homicide … [which] I think it was"—
It was a domestic violence homicide, I think too. "But the jury didn't see it that way," he told me, "and the jury in crude terms thought race trumped gender." Do you think that you may have had a blind spot for that distinction?
I think it's true that the jury was not impressed with the domestic violence evidence. Nevertheless, it's the motive, and we have to present the case we have. We can't present the case we wish we had. The motive for this murder was the issue between Simpson and Nicole Brown. That was the motive, and Ron Goldman was the unfortunate, innocent bystander, and that's the truth of the case. I have to present the facts I have, and I do think that especially with someone as famous and as celebrated as Simpson, we needed to explain why this happened. I can't just pretend it happened in a void.
Law Race


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An almost top 10,000 blog!
And now I have baud making fun of me. this day can't get worse.
A Senator Walker would be an insult to the state and the nation.
Peak wingnut was a lie.
Let there be snark.
Republicans are radicals, not conservatives.
"More of this", i said to the dog.
Hot air and ill-informed banter
… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact
Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.
Schmidt just says fuck it, opens a tea shop.
Conservatism: there are some people the law protects but does not bind and others who the law binds but does not protect.
I did not have telepathic declassification on my 2022 bingo card.
Despite his magical powers, I don't think Trump is thinking this through, to be honest.
Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.
You are here: Home / Politics / Media / Marine Recruitment Scandal
Marine Recruitment Scandal
by John Cole | June 15, 2005 1:28 am | 47 Comments
This post is in: Media
Last week, I discussed the recruiting shortfalls the military is suffering, and I noted this sensational story about some serious allegations against Marine recruiters:
The next weekend, when Marcia went to Seattle for the Folklife Festival and Axel was home alone, two recruiters showed up at the door.
Axel repeated the family mantra, but he was feeling frazzled and worn down by then. The sergeant was friendly but, at the same time, aggressively insistent. This time, when Axel said, "Not interested," the sarge turned surly, snapping, "You're making a big (bleeping) mistake!"
Next thing Axel knew, the same sergeant and another recruiter showed up at the door.
Next thing Axel knew, the same sergeant and another recruiter showed up at the LaConner Brewing Co., the restaurant where Axel works. And before Axel, an older cousin and other co-workers knew or understood what was happening, Axel was whisked away in a car.
Read the whole original story.
This didn't sound like my experiences with recruiters, so I was skeptical even though times have changed. I noted:
I can't verify that story other than the link provided, but, if it is true, that is a problem itself- and not the solution to a recruiting shortfall.
I even went one step farther. On the 9th, I emailed the author of the story, Susan Paynter:
I would like to keep up with your ongoing investigation into this Marine recruiting scandal, if there is an ongoing investigation.
Your piece has created quite a stir in the blogsphere…
Please keep me up to date if yuo have anything new or any new stories.
I received no response. Greg Prince provides a possible explanation:
National Review's Stephen Spruiell did some fact checking and things aren't what they seem.
It turns out Paynter based her story almost entirely upon the perspective of Cobb's viciously anti-military mother without comparing her story with Marine records. It shouldn't be surprising to find there are significant variations between Paynter's and the Marine's versions of things. For example, Paynter reports of a "relentless barrage of calls." Marine records show he was an average of once every two months starting his senior year – not unreasonable given a recruiter's desire to stay in touch with kids showing possible interest in a military career. Indeed, Axel himself visited recruitment offices.
Paynter has since backed off her accusations of Cobb's virtual kidnapping, and claims to have attempted speaking with the Marines.
The USMC recruitment office never heard from her. Paynter isn't being forthcoming with who she tried to contact and how, but Spruiell was able to get accurate information within three business days.
In other words, it appears that Paynter and her story stink. I was right to be skeptical. Paynter whipped together a crappy piece full of innuendo and light on investigation, and it was rapidly disseminated as gospel truth.
You want to heap some scorn on the media figures who play fast and loose with the truth- here is a ripe target. And, quite honestly, as someone who has spent a great amount of energy and a great amount of time defending the media from unfair attacks, this infuriates me. I'll just add her to the list of people I never trust again.
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You're on a role John. Again, all I can say is, amen.
Antonio Manetti
I'm still skeptical.
Yeah, allegations of kidnapping seem way overblown. But, while I'd like to think otherwise, given the pressure to produce and the high-level stink about recruitment tactics, I don't rule out CYA on the part of the recruiters.
Speaking of overblown accusations, I saw nothing in the story to support Greg Prince's characterization of Cobb's mother as "viciously anti-military". I have an 18 year old grandson whose mother would fight like hell to keep him from enlisting and putting himself in harm's way. What parent wouldn't for God's sake?
I read the original account and thought the mother sounded overaught but at the same time why would you trust the recruiter's side of the story.
When I went into the military in 90 other millitary people generally had a low opinion of recruiters and their honesty. Was it really that different when you were in?
Compuglobalhypermeganet
Only a sucker would've bought this story for a second.
Antonio…I see you're going with the Newsweek's 'fake but plausible' defense of this BS story.
Antonio…I see you're going with Newsweek's fake but plausible defense of this BS story.
Robbie said:
Uhhhh, where to start. Ok, firstly it was CBS that started with the fake, but plausible thing and it wasn't just plausible, it was that those memos were forged, but the info was correct. It just wasn't the original memo. Slightly different than what you're saying, BUT more valid for YOUR point. Especially considering Newsweek was vindicated to some extent. It would have been nicer to at least see people scream for an apology FOR Newsweek as a lot of people did at Newsweek when the government (who shouldn't even be commenting on what journalists should be printing) was making an issue of it. The report that Newsweek referenced WAS released, from the Pentagon, within a couple weeks of everyone freaking out over Newsweek saying there was a report. So, Newsweek didn't start the fake, but plausible and it doesn't apply to them. "True, but embarassing for the government" is more apt for Newsweek.
James Emerson
Unfortunately, this is the kind of narrative that takes hold in the minds of parents whose children are at the age of risk for recruiter abuse. Unfortunate because the military once meant a decent opportunity for kids who hadn't developed a sense of direction towards their lives. That opportunity is now seen as a death/dismemberment/PTSS warrant by those who might apply. Unfortunate again because the lies that led us down the path towards the occupation of Iraq and the spectacle of Abu Ghraib have become associated with military service. The honour found in serving one's country…which peaked right after 9/11…has been squandered away by an administration more interested in its own political agenda and war profits for its supporters than in its respect for truth, honour, and the ideals that were once America's beacon of light…
Can't really blame the parents for protecting their children, the beacon of light is darkened once again. They've seen this movie before, and know the ending by heart…
Attack the one that brung ya
According to the Book of the Right, I'm instructed to note that National Review's Stephen Spruiell is hardly a disinterested party to this story.
Axe, grind?
ppgaz
This entire situation is a failure of the information stream.
The symptom is the lining up of agenda-driven channels to move particular versions of a story.
This creates several bad results. One, it creates spun churn around the story which takes the air out of the larger story … which is, obviously, recruitment shortfalls and the possibility of recruiting "anomalies" that result from those shortfalls.
Soon, the very name of the story starts to depend on who is speaking. If you are a rigid defender of anything coming out of the administration, the pentagon, the armed services, or the GOP, your job is to paint the whole issue as being ginned up by America haters and terrorist spologists.
If you are a rigid defender of the opposition, then your job is to paint the whole issue as being covered up by the GOP noise machine and the Limbaughites.
The real story, and whatever truth it contains, is lost in the noise.
The real story, it seems to me, is the recruiting shortfalls. That story has real consequences, and real power interests are going to spin around that story in order to drive their own agendas.
Don't you ever get tired of the constant manipulation and bullshit? "You" are whoever you are, righty or lefty. Don't you ever get tired of it?
This particular story is not "the" story. "The" story is that the Iraq war is sucking the air out of the manpower management of the armed forces. That's a big problem, no matter which party line you like to subscribe to.
PPGaz- While the real message may be the recruiting shortfalls, Mrs. Paynter did not have to resort to smearing Marine recruiters to tell it.
Again, I don;t know what happened here for sure, but it sure sounds like Paynter sure exxagerated what happened.
The "real story" implies a number of facts connected by a reasonable explanation.
The narrative is an appealing expanation (to some) where facts are selected or invented to match ones agenda.
The recruiting story may or may not be true, but it is a certainty that the administration was untruthful when constructing its narrative leading us off to war.
Now the consequences of constantly repeating a demonstratably false narrative…like Ward Churchill's chickens…are coming home to roost. No sane parent wants to send their kid off into a lost fight.
I don't agree with you, James, if I understand what you are saying, which I may not.
Parents not wanting to send their kid into a lost fight is not a situation that resulted from amped-up recruiting horror stories. It resulted from a rational response on the part of parents to the larger situation which you describe. The recruiting shortfalls came as a result.
I fully expect recruiting "anomalies" to occur as a result. Recruiters are under a hell of a lot of pressure and they are going to push the envelope, and by so doing, probably break a rule or two here and there and piss some people off. Stories of those events needn't be hyped, but neither need they be spun away or dismissed. Most importantly, they need not and should not take the place of the real story, which is, the war is losing popularity, recruiting is in trouble, and manpower issues are not going to go away. The "war" or "occupation" or whatever we call it now is not going away, because we cannot and should not walk away from it. I say that as a steadfast opponent of the original concept of this war and its purported intentions. We must finish the job we started, whether we like it or not.
mac Buckets
Florid prose, James, but ultimately stinking of root-rot.
Unfortunate because the military once meant a decent opportunity for kids who hadn't developed a sense of direction towards their lives.
No, underneath the TV ads, the military has always "meant" training to fight enemies of the country. I must've missed when the army became purely a technical community college.
Unfortunate again because the lies that led us down the path towards the occupation of Iraq and the spectacle of Abu Ghraib have become associated with military service.
First, there's no case that "lies" led to the war (and to claim that any lies have been "linked to military service" seems silly unless you back it up with SOMETHING). You can argue priorities, you can argue strategy, you can argue intel, but citing "lies" just rips your cred. Why these arguments must always begin with unproven slander is beyond me — don't you see how it undermines the rest of your argument by marking you as someone who plays fast-and-loose with the facts?
Second, "occupation?" Really? Have you been in a coma for 18 months? Is the left still seriously pretending that we truly "occupied" Iraq? Well, this must've been the least effective "occupation" of all time, since we began giving authority back, in accordance with pre-war planning, to the "conquered" country within months of the invasion. So let's not toss around such words without knowing what they mean.
For example, if you want to see what "occupation" looks like, look at the British in India for a minimal stardard for the term, or the Soviets in Hungary for a stronger example, or the Nazis in Poland for an even stronger one. Not too similar to allowing the Iraqi majority to rule in Iraq, is it?
Third, I seriously doubt that Abu Ghraib has much to do with recruitment. I don't think any mother is shielding her son from service because she doesn't want him to make naked terrorist pyramids (for which he will be tried).
The honour found in serving one's country…which peaked right after 9/11…has been squandered away
The honor of serving the country has not faded, but the safety and comfort of serving it certainly has, in the eyes of many. Given the barrage of negative coverage from the sensationalist, anti-military media (and the corresponding complete absense of positive coverage), it's no wonder that recruitment is down. No doubt, if they only watched the news on TV, high school seniors would think that every soldier in Iraq comes home in a box or with no legs, and that every day, soldiers are dodging RPG fire from every Iraqi who lays eyes on them.
Of course, the facts of Iraq casualty rates are much different, but if you hold your breath waiting for the MSM to tell you that, you'll die waiting.
by an administration more interested in its own political agenda and war profits for its supporters than in its respect for truth, honour, and the ideals that were once America's beacon of light…
If by "its own political agenda," you mean "ousting Saddam and freeing Iraq from a tyrant, which had been the policy since the CLINTON Administration," you would be correct. Somehow, I don't think that's what you meant.
And are we seriously back to that old "War for Halliburton" meme? The anti-war (well, anti-war-led-by-a-Republican) types whine that Bush had serial justifications for the war, but at least Bush laid ALL those justifications out en masse in every speech before the war. The Bush-haters seem to be serially rotating their "War for…Oil, Revenge, Halliburton, Evil Empire (on which I thought they had finally settled), Swarthy Mustaches, etc." imaginings.
Also, I'd love to hear what you think "the ideals that were once America's beacon of light…" if you don't think liberating citizens from minority-rule despots is included in those ideals. We've always been pretty big fans of freedom in America, although there have always been the "screw the foreigners if they can't overthrow their own dictator, we've got to take care of us" crowd — I believe the liberals used to call them "heartless conservatives."
Sorry for the length. Love and kisses…
And are we seriously back to that old "War for Halliburton" meme?
m Buckets,
Back? When did it ever go away?
Cordially…
Just to be clear …. as opposed as I am to the original Iraq war concept (that includes the Gulf War, too, so I am nothing if not consistent) ….
I am fully supportive of the troops and mindful of the danger and hardship we have put them in.
Therefore, it seems to me, that the first priority here should be to do what is right for the people in the armed forces. That's why I assert that the recruiting shortfall is the important story. Manpower problems are going to impact the fighting men and women first, and the pencil pushers later.
So it all ties together. We owe it to the people of Iraq, to our own service personnel, and to the world to finish the messy job in Iraq to the best of our national ability. That's going to include the need for adequate manpower in the armed forces. Further, our responsibility to the troops requires that we manage the manpower situation. I can't think of anything that will have a greater impact on them than adequate manpopwer and relief.
So, churn away over the shadings of individual anecdotes and who said what to whom, at the expense of the really important issue here.
And don't listen to the barking dogs who want to spin this story so that it appears that the hyped anecdote here and there is the reason for the recruiting shortfall. That's just not the case.
I thought it was decided 6 months ago that Bush was just a puppet of PNAC and Wolfowitz. I was informed by someone in know (probably from Kos) that Wolfowitz's zionist fervor against Muslims, coupled with PNAC's desire for US World Domination, led to the invasion. That had better be correct, or I wasted a lot of money on my "US World Domination, sponsored by PNAC" T-shirt.
Say what you want about the neocons, either way. I can't find that any reasnable review of their history (who they are, what they think, and how they got there to think those things) could lead to any conclusion other than this: They're crazy. They have a radical worldview which is based on sugar candy spun into a large pink ball, for the simple reason that they have no data or historical perspective to support their conclusions. That's just for starters. Closely behind, is the fact that they brook no disagreement. To paraphrase, you are either with them, or against America. That's an attitude for which I have zero tolerance, period. I don't care who you are or what you think, that attitude is not acceptable.
So there you have the people whose ideas are shaping the national policy: Crazy ideologues who brook no criticism and put themselves above all others.
Tell me again, why should I trust these people?
And, of course, tell me again why you all should be churning this stuff in the face of a realtime military problem, namely, a recruiting shortfall of serious proportions?
Take it easy. It was just an aside. There's plenty of bandwidth.
The increased difficulty our recruiters are experiencing stems from the situation on the ground in Iraq. Parents are cognizant of both the failure that is Iraq, and of the extreme measures that recruiters employ to make their quota. Regardless of the veracity of the recruiter abuse stories, they are entirely believable in the eyes of worried parents.
We find ourselves in pretty much the same situation as we were in during the Vietnam war. The only difference is that we had a draft then, and it was the draft that largely fueled the antiwar movement. Sans draft legislation (political suicide I'm sure) recruiters have resorted to what would be considered legal harassment if done in the name of a private corporation. I am the father of a draft age young man, and have experienced this personally. I no longer allow my son to answer the phone, and do not allow the recruiters to talk with him when they call.
My son regularly gets recruitment mail from them. From what I gather, they make a lot of promises about fantastic opportunities, but never talk about the war. How realistic is that? It's the same PR approach to recruiting that was used to get us into the war in the first place. No wonder parents are cynical.
Whether or not they are hyped or spun, the recruiting horror stories are emblematic of our failure in Iraq. The war is indeed in trouble, losing popularity especially amongst those who traditionally are asked to fight and possibly die for their country. The war is far more popular amongst the ruling elite than the middle class. It's been very good for the bottom line of a number of well connected corporations, but it's losing popularity as the bottom line of returning coffins keeps coming closer to home. After all these years some things remain the same, nobody wants to be the first on the block to have his kid come home in a box. Certainly not for a pack of lies.
You say "we cannot and should not walk away from it." I remember similar words being spoken during Vietnam. We ended up staying there long enough for our loss to be obvious to all. That was a hard loss. Apparently, we didn't learn that lesson, and because of that we are condemmed to the same fate in Iraq.
Putting the partisan politics aside for the moment, James, what would you say is a solution to the military manpower problem we face now?
(I'm not implying any particular viewpoint or conflict here when I suggest shelving the politics. My question is to anyone regardless of their political stripe).
DecidedFenceSitter
I don't think there is one that is politically viable.
Perhaps raising salaries to make it more lucrative to be a soldier?
Anyone know what the recruit figures were for the years AFTER Vietnam? And whether they took a hit or not?
…what would you say is a solution to the military manpower problem we face now?
Another 9/11, maybe. A decade without a war, perhaps. A peacenik to win the Presidency, possibly (although my body shudders at the ancillary horrors that would bring).
There's no political/PR solution, because the media, sensationalist and negative by nature (and anti-military by politics), is now so pervasive that every ground war the US fights from here until doomsday will be seen in high-def by tens of millions as Hell, Part Deux, where every US soldier is killed or mutilated, and his/her family is ultimately destraught or destroyed.
It makes for good TV!
ppgaz – The process has suffered grievous wounds. There is no easy solution. The draft is off the table until we get hit with another 9/11. Until then, the military will continue its slowmo breakdown.
Beyond the recognition of the impending disaster of military breakdown, I have no realistic reccomendations for its repair, at least until the political process that got us there is repaired. Until then, it's pointless to fix something that will only be directed into more futility.
mac buckets – You deserve a reasoned response, but at this point you'll have to accept my acknowledgement of your post.
Old Patriot
As a retired Air Force NCO, I know the recruiting techniques of the Air Force have changed over time. I'd assume the Marines are the same. I also know that no one in any branch of the military would go to the extremes mentioned above to enlist ANYONE. It's just not worth it. Such a person would probably not make it through Basic. You have to WANT to be there – the whole purpose of Basic is to ensure that ONLY those that want to, finish.
As for "lies that got us into Iraq", that's a story with no legs. It's also just another example of how the news media slant the truth to match an agenda – one that's ALWAYS anti-military. I got sick to death of it during Vietnam (yes, I went there), and it's no different now. The MSM does the work of the enemy, and has since 1968. May all the liars that publish such crap burn forever in Hell!
Easy, old timer. You really want to fight a war with half of your own country? Because that's what your post leads to, IMNSHO.
The fact is, the war was a bill of good sold to an emotional public still reeling from 9-11.
If MSM were any good at their jobs, they'd have exposed that fact three years ago before we started the war. Too late for that now.
ppgaz, James, etc.
If what you say is true, specifically that recruiting shortfalls are the result of a "rational" decision by potential recruits then how do you explain retention rates? Are the soldiers re-enlisting irrational? They are the ones on the ground paying the highest price yet they are re-upping above the target rates. And those who have been in combat are re-upping at a higher rate than those who have not. If your thesis is correct that the "situation on the ground in Iraq" is the cause of the shortfalls then try to work retention in and get back to me. Until then all I see is you fixing(dear me) cherry-picked facts around your world view.
Um, I think the cherry picking is yours, frontius. I'd guess — since that's what I'm stuck with, lacking data to show otherwise — that reenlistment is more driven by a desired to stay and support one's comrades, a sense of duty that is at least for now enhanced by the situation. I wouldn't expect that to last another 3-5 years, but I'd have no way to support that assertion other than with a hunch.
But the recruitment thing is a different animal, I'd say. Shortfalls of 20-30-40 percent are not something that can be overlooked for long.
To me, this puts the military in a bad box. How do they sell committment to a war that is steadlily losing public support with each passing month?
If what we see in here is any indication, there are two schools of thought: One, nobody really knows what to do about the manpower issue, or two, anybody who argues against the war should burn in hell.
Nice. Nice way to run a country.
"I'm a uniter, not a divider."
Right. Got it. Nice work.
how do you explain retention rates? Are the soldiers re-enlisting irrational?
Without my wishing to offer an opinion on the larger matter, do you have some numbers here, frontinus? Are stop loss (unwilling) re-ups excluded or included in these numbers? I'm a scientist and usually reluctant to accept qualitative statements as authority without seeing some quantitative data to support it.
Why is it incumbent upon me to provide links? Retention figures are every bit as public as those for recruitment. As a matter of fact they release retention news in the same fucking press releases used as a basis for, apparently, the news sources you frequent. There are none as blind….
And I find your opinion that support among active duty and reserve soldiers will eventually dry up to be obnoxious. Are you seriously making the claim that people here stateside have a beter, more accurate view of Iraq than those who are or have been there?
No, there is a third choice, ppgaz. One that might be equally odious to you–accurate reporting. Because given the recruitment and retention rates you(and everyone) are left with two irreconcilable anecdotes.
1) Facts on the ground are deterring potential recruits who are informed by the media.
2) Facts on the ground are NOT deterring those already in service who are informed, well, by the facts on the ground.
Which is why I challenged you and others to square the two. You can't which is why I'm assuming you went off into the absurd with your "burn in hell" hokum. You would have us believe that disillusionment, open-ended committment, illegitimacy of war, etc. LEAST affect those paying the highest price. It's laughable.
Stop lossing isn't reenlistment. It's delaying the release from active duty. But thanks for bringing up another reason why retention rates are important. We've heard nothing but months and months of how the Reserve units were overstressed in Iraq(yet, they re-up at a higher rate than their stateside compatriots). How stop loss was a covert draft. How poorly armored transports were. How utterly lacking in planning the whole "quagmire" was. Yet, they re-up. It really is an amazing testament in my opinion. But if harping on a media fantasy makes you sleep better at night knock yourself out. To me there's something unexplained. Well, not entirely since I have a pretty good idea of who the culprit is.
How stop loss was a covert draft. How poorly armored transports were. How utterly lacking in planning the whole "quagmire" was. Yet, they re-up.
And they vote 4-to-1 for Bush over Kerry. Sounds like the soldiers in Iraq don't know as much about the "quagmire" outside their door as the tatooed, latte-drinking Berkeley protesters, who have never been within 3000 miles of Iraq, do!
(Cue "US soldiers are stupid/brainwashed/propagandized, that's why they voted for Bush" assertion. At least, that's what I usually get.)
You're right, of course, Compu-dumbname.
We should just turn the USA over to the military. It makes everything simpler, and really, better reflects the intent of the current government.
By "military", of course, I don't mean the men and women in harm's way out there, I mean the geniuses in the Pentagon who obviously know everything and would have it all in hand if we'd just let them alone.
Stop lossing isn't reenlistment. It's delaying the release from active duty.
Actually, you don't answer my question. It may not be re-enlistment, but is it reported separately from re-enlistment? There's a dif there.
On the other hand, I tend to agree with you–I was just asking whether there was anything funny done with stop loss numbers, because I have a nasty tendency to question authority. And if the snark about asking for links is directed at me as one of the "you," I'd suggest you either be willing to bring the facts rather than tell me to go get them myself; else, I'll (politely) suggest you go to hell.
Well, duh, I'm right. And don't blame me for the name. Blame Homer Simpson.
It's that kind of rhetorical buffoonery that undercuts the good, sane points that you (occasionally) make.
I realize that it's hard for anti-(Republican)-war/pro-troops types to wrap their brains around the resounding landslide of military support for President Bush, but facts are facts.
The people who have the most on the line in Iraq, the people whose lives are at stake, the people who should feel the most betrayed if this war was really not worth the effort…voted overwhelmingly for Bush.
Well, there ya go. When you add all the stupid people, you got yourself a coalition ;-)
And, could ya get a shorter handle?
How about "compughm"?
Anything. I'm old, don't make me read a 20-character anagram. I'm beggin ya here.
Nash, stop loss prevents active duty personnel from separating from their unit after their term of service is up so I don't see how it's a part of retention. AFAIK the retention officer for a unit doesn't even report who gets stop loss designated because that is done by command. The two might be conflated later on but even if that's the case everything I've seen states that stop loss hurts retention in the long-run(2002-2005 qualifies I think). And I haven't seen a discrepancy between retention rates and the reenlistment numbers put out(in that both are slightly above 100% including the Army's). But regardless, all you ever hear about is the raw recruiting number and pontifications about a crisis. You never hear about reenlistment or the increase in target end strength or the Army last year tightening reenlistment guildines. It's a complex issue but treated in a post hoc fashion by both the media and (how to put this delicately) internet users who generally hold pessimistic views aside from this one.
The snark was directed mainly at ppgaz but really it applies to anyone who bandies about the recruitment crisis without citing. Retention is every bit as public and every bit as easy to find since it's in the same monthly press release. And if it's an important topic to be discussed by interested parties is it uncouth to assume they've looked beyond the headlines in their paper?
"bandies about the recruitment crisis without citing?"
WTF are you talking about?
First of all, I used the noun "shortfall".
Are you asserting that there have not been reports of late that recruitment has fallen short between 20 and 40 percent, depending on the scope of the individual stat?
I didn't say it was a "crisis". I said it was a big problem. If you don't think it is, then good for you. I don't agree.
frontinus,
Fair enough…and thanks.
I wasn't aware I used quotation marks around that phrase, ppgaz. Did you think I was quoting you? If so you've got more immediate concerns than the military's recruiting.
Mudville Gazette says:
Iraq Rebuilding [365 and a Wake Up – in Iraq] Yellow Bracelet My words fall flat on the living room floor As we try to speak of shallow things But the only thing in our minds is the unspeakable Your…
Project Nothing! says:
When all else fails, just make shit up
A few days ago, Susan Paynter of the Seattle Post Intelligencer published an astounding story about military rectruiters enticingly titled : When Marine recruiters go way beyond the call
John Cole has done some digging, and he's concluded that…
Cadillac Tight says:
Jumping on the anti-military bandwagon
Take a look at this. Then, take a look at this: And the Pentagon thinks recruitment will improve in the summer months? They've resorted to kidnapping. So, the story was crap, as anyone with experience with military recruiters recognized right…
The Politburo Diktat says:
Two Important Stories
1. The despicable Kos claims: "The torture that was so bad under Saddam, is EQUALLY bad under U.S. command." In response, The Jawa Report put together a photo essay describing the REAL TORTURE of Saddam Hussein. 2. How about that "Marine Recruitment Sc…
Balloon Juice says:
[…] The recruiter story is bogus. Insofar as it existed the general problem of overenthusiastic recruiters seems to have come and gone, most likely because people complained to their congressperson's office. All of which changes my opinion of protesting recruiters' offices not a whit. […]
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Richard Bayer (* 29. Juli 1883 in Elberfeld; † 9. Juni 1972 in Hochdahl) war ein deutscher Industrieller.

Leben
Richard Bayer war ein Enkel des Firmengründers Friedrich Bayer und der Sohn von Friedrich Bayer mit dessen Frau Anna. Er absolvierte das Studium der Chemie an der Universität Bonn und an der Technischen Hochschule Dresden. 1903 wurde er Mitglied des Corps Saxonia Bonn. Während seines Studiums gehörte er zu den aktiven Mitgliedern und Förderern des Akademischen Sport-Vereins und agierte dort unter anderem als Eishockeyschiedsrichter. Nach der Promotion zum Dr.-Ing. im Dezember 1911 in Dresden trat Bayer 1912 als Mitarbeiter des Wissenschaftlichen Laboratoriums in Elberfeld in die Bayer-Werke ein. 1914 bis 1916 nahm er als Soldat am Ersten Weltkrieg teil, danach war er wieder bei Bayer beschäftigt. Nach dem Tod seines Vaters 1920 wurde er in den Aufsichtsrat gewählt. 1925 siedelte er nach Leverkusen über und wurde im Zuge der Fusion Mitglied des Aufsichtsrats der neuen I.G. Farbenindustrie. 1951 gehörte er zu den Gründern des Nachfolgeunternehmens Farbenfabriken Bayer AG, wo er von 1951 bis 1960 ebenfalls dem Aufsichtsrat angehörte, zuletzt als stellvertretender Vorsitzender. Nach seinem Tod wurde Bayer auf dem evangelisch-lutherischen Friedhof von Elberfeld beigesetzt.

Literatur
 Reichshandbuch der deutschen Gesellschaft – Das Handbuch der Persönlichkeiten in Wort und Bild. Erster Band, Deutscher Wirtschaftsverlag, Berlin 1930, ISBN 3-598-30664-4
 Deutsche Corpszeitung 73 (1972), S. 212

Einzelnachweise

Industrieller
Corpsstudent (20. Jahrhundert)
Person (Bayer AG)
Person (I.G. Farben)
Person (Leverkusen)
Deutscher
Geboren 1883
Gestorben 1972
Mann
Ehrenmitglied eines Corps
Person im Ersten Weltkrieg (Deutsches Reich)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Diocese of Recife may refer to:

Diocese of Recife, in the Anglican Church in Brazil, affiliated with the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans
Diocese of Recife, in the Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil, affiliated with the Anglican Communion
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Olinda and Recife, in northeast Brazil's Pernambuco state


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Please be advised that two of our Firefly Legal offices have moved!
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We will do our best to make sure deadlines are met, but we wanted you to be aware of this delay as it may impact your cases.
Social Media and the Legal Industry: Friends or Foes?
During a recent conference that Firefly attended, the topic of whether or not law firms should engage in social media came up. This came about during a discussion group that was geared at improving client communication. It was a topic that although loosely related, was certainly not on the agenda of the session. The room was filled with about 50 people who produced a relevant Q&A session about social media.
An innocent enough question, "What do you think about communication on Facebook?" sparked a debate among the attorneys in the room. A few requested anyone under 30 with social media advice to provide it, and after a few minutes of hemming and hawing, a serious discussion came through. One attorney spoke up and vehemently opposed Facebook, defaming it as a waste of time. Another attorney spoke up to ask for a show of hands of how many people in the room, 5-10 years ago, had a Linked In account. One or two people raised their hands. He then asked how many people had a Linked In account now- nearly the entire room was filled with folks raising a hand. His point was that the times are changing. In five more years, how many people will be engaged in the big three (Facebook, Twitter, Google+)? It's certainly a relevant question. And it was. Nods of consideration could be seen about the room, but so could the ever-present furrowed brows of the naysayers.
A quick Google search will tell you that there are players on both sides of this debate– countless blogs and articles have been published either for or against the use of social media for law firms. As attorneys and firms generally lead the way with marketing strategy in the legal services industry, process servers are also finding themselves in the same predicament– to engage or not to engage. Firefly Legal has found that participating in social media has improved website visibility, increased networking opportunities, and allowed for a more constant presence online- among other benefits.
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text:
queensland deco project
the story of art deco in Queensland
Home › Architecture › North Gregory Hotel: Art Deco on the outback trail
North Gregory Hotel: Art Deco on the outback trail
By queenslanddecoproject on July 16, 2015 • ( 5 )
67 Elderslie Street, Winton
The resolve of the Winton community to rebuild the Waltzing Matilda Centre after its loss to a devastating blaze in the early hours of 18 June 2015, brings to mind the story of another Winton building – one that shares a connection with the destructive force of fire and the legend of Waltzing Matilda. The present-day North Gregory Hotel, opened in 1955, was also born from a show of resilience by the local council and community in the face of a night time calamity. What emerged was one of the most modern hotels to grace western Queensland, with its streamlined, horizontal sweep and decorative vertical fins bringing Art Deco styling to the outback.
This is the story of not one building but four, and not one fire but three. It begins with the opening of the original North Gregory Hotel in 1879, long before any glimmer of modernity first materialised on the outback landscape. Named after the district Gregory North, later to become Winton, the first hotel shared an abiding connection with Australia's most famed bush ballad. It was there, on 6 April 1895, that Banjo Paterson's Waltzing Matilda was sung publicly for the first time, performed by Herbert Ramsay for Premier Nelson at a banquet celebrating the opening of the Hughenden-Winton railway. Only four years later the first fire struck and the hotel was razed. Its replacement, hurriedly constructed in the aftermath, suffered the same fate in 1915.
The third North Gregory Hotel, opened in 1916, was also remarkable for its place in Australian history. In the 1920s, Winton locals held meetings at the hotel to plot the beginnings of an outback airline that would become Qantas. In 1942, as Queensland became a campaign base for the Pacific advance in the second world war, an American pilot and future president, Lyndon B. Johnson, stayed overnight at the hotel after his aircraft was forced to land due to mechanical difficulties. The third North Gregory stood strong for 30 years – surviving a decade longer than its predecessors – but it too burnt down in 1946, making way for what would become its Art Deco successor.
On the evening of 8 August 1946, fire raged for over three hours in Winton, claiming the two-storied wooden hotel, a hair salon, tobacconist, jewellery shop, sports store and car dealership, causing over £30,000 worth of damage. Hotel guests had to be coaxed away from attempting to salvage their belongings into suitcases, escaping at the behest of police only minutes before the back stairwell collapsed. Sixty residents formed a "bucket brigade" that helped save the now heritage listed Corfield and Fitzmaurice's Store neighbouring one side of the hotel, and the Royal Picture Theatre neighbouring the other.
The loss of the hotel created a vexing gap in the community, both aesthetically and economically. Of particular concern was the lack of suitable accommodation for travellers, with the four remaining hotels unable to meet demand. The council set up temporary barracks to manage the overflow, and later relocated a service building from Townsville for the purpose. But it was feared the town's progress was being impaired by a lack of comfortable lodgings for visiting officials and a slow attrition of businesses to other districts in the wake of the fire. With no private builders or individual investors stepping in to fill the gap, a public meeting was held in March 1947 calling on council to rebuild the North Gregory Hotel.
Council accepted the challenge with gusto, and in early 1949 purchased the land, licence and good will of the North Gregory for £6200 from its previous owner, Mrs Morna Shanahan. Arriving at this outcome required considerable negotiation with the state, including an amendment to the Local Government Act in 1947 empowering local authorities to acquire hotels, and a special order-in-council in 1948 permitting Winton Shire Council to maintain licenced premises. Treasury authorised a series of loans over multiple years to cover the land purchase and construction costs, with debts recovered from extra rates charged to local graziers and town residents.
The rebuilding of the North Gregory Hotel was part of a bigger public works program the council imagined for Winton, including improved water supply, a swimming pool, service station, banks, fire station, civic centre and public library. Some saw it as a rallying call for the district:
There are a number of pessimists in Winton, as in other Western towns, who say 'Winton is done'. But Winton is not a 'done' town … most people have faith in the town and district. The Winton Shire Council is not lacking in faith and have a very progressive public works programme lined up for 1950. It includes … the building of the most modern country hotel in Queensland. (The Longreach Leader, 14 December 1949, p.46)
To lead the hotel development, council brought together two shining lights of Queensland's mid-century built heritage – Brisbane-based consulting engineer Jack Mulholland and Rockhampton architect Arthur Edward ("Eddie") Hegvold. Mulholland (left) was a hard working, Harvard educated engineer whose other projects included supervising construction of Innisfail's Art Deco water tower in 1933 and overseeing countless civic works programs that proliferated in Queensland country towns after World War Two. Hegvold (right) served at the US Army base in Rockhampton during the war and was exposed to new architectural trends and construction techniques which he later applied to his design of Longreach's Art Deco fire station, and the interwar functionalist Amla residence and modernist RACQ Building in Rockhampton. In 1947 he won a design competition for the Crown Hotel in Rockhampton and it is interesting to observe the similarities between his vision for this building and the North Gregory Hotel (refer to illustrations below). Hegvold was not the only "Eddie" involved in the North Gregory project, engaging as his assistant Cairns-born architect, Eddie Oribin, who went on to design some of North Queensland's most recognisable modernist buildings such as the Oribin Studio in Cairns and St Paul's Anglican Church in Proserpine.
Together these men designed and constructed what many regarded at the time to be western Queensland's most luxurious hotel. Commencing in 1952 at an estimated expense of £120,000, construction costs were tallied at £215,000 by the time the North Gregory Hotel was completed in late 1954. Winton Shire Council justified the blow-out by underscoring the "uniqueness" of the hotel compared with the "generally primitive" accommodation on offer in western Queensland, a sentiment shared by Annette Moir writing for The Courier Mail:
Out of the smoke-blackened ruins of the famous old North Gregory hotel at Winton has risen a swishy, streamlined building – claimed by many to be the best country hotel in Australia … It looks rather strange sitting in Winton (population 1800). It could be at home in any capital city. (The Courier Mail, 20 November 1954, p.9)
The strawberry brick and concrete building – adorned with eight stepped, white vertical fins, decorative balcony railings and a textured parapet – was built in a u-shape around a central courtyard that served as a beer garden. The external structure included six tiled, chrome-stripped shops with plate glass windows which council rented out to local businesses such as a frock salon and milk bar. Inside, the hotel boasted modern conveniences otherwise rare in outback Queensland, such as air conditioning, hot water piped to all rooms and full silver service. The lounge exuded a modernist love of colour, with blue and dark grey walls, a yellow door, peach ceiling, red-topped tables and blue chairs.
Another acclaimed Queensland creative engaged on the North Gregory project was artist Daphne Mayo (below) who designed three glass doors leading into the hotel lounge. Widely esteemed as the leading woman sculptor in mid-century Australia, some of Mayo's other Queensland works included The horse in sport frieze in the Art Deco styled Tattersall's Club, the tympanum on Brisbane City Hall and the Queensland Women's War Memorial in Anzac Square. The etched glass doors she designed for the North Gregory paid tribute to the European history of Winton and the significance of the hotel to the local community, depicting the Waltzing Matilda story, the birth of Qantas and the integral role of primary industries.
While it was originally intended the hotel be leased to a private operator, by the time construction was nearing completion in 1954 the state government had granted permission for the business to be conducted as a council undertaking. Mrs C. Stanners, a well-known identity on the Queensland pub scene, having operated the Commercial Hotel in Longreach and the Central Hotel in Brisbane, was a popular choice when appointed by council as manageress.
The fourth North Gregory Hotel first opened its doors on 23 January 1955, celebrated with 50 gallons of free beer. Three months later, on 21 April, the hotel was officially opened by Premier Gair as part of Show Week festivities, the occasion again marked with free beer as well as a street float depicting the progress of Winton and Queensland. On the same day an appeal was launched to raise funds for the Paterson Memorial, which four years later saw the unveiling of The Jolly Swagman statue at the Winton Swimming Pool, sculpted by none other than Daphne Mayo. As reported in The Sunday Mail, Winton had "suddenly awakened to the fact that Banjo [could] put the town on the map."
The North Gregory stayed in council hands for three decades, until 1987 when it was sold to private operators. Today the hotel remains a significant landmark on the outback trail, both for its Art Deco built heritage and its connection with Australian history and mythology.
**If you enjoyed this article and would like to keep up-to-date with similar stories as they are published, please either like the Queensland Deco Project Facebook page or subscribe to follow the blog.**
Image acknowledgements
North Gregory Hotel, Winton, 2007. Photograph by Cheryl Rodgers. Courtesy of State Library of Queensland. Image number 7207-0001-0044. This image is copyright and may not be reproduced without permission of the State Library.
North Gregory Hotel, Winton, ca. 1907. Courtesy of State Library of Queensland.
North Gregory Hotel Winton burning down in 1946. Courtesy of State Library of Queensland.
North Gregory Hotel after a fire in 1946. Courtesy of State Library of Queensland.
Construction of the 4th North Gregory Hotel, Winton, ca. 1950. Courtesy of State Library of Queensland.
Jack Mulholland, photograph reproduced from The Courier Mail. Sourced from Eminent Queensland Engineers Volume II (below).
Eddie Hegvold. Sourced from Time and Place: Queensland's Cultural Heritage Newsletter (below).
Hegvold's Crown Hotel Design. Sourced from The Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton), 25 March 1947, p.5.
Hegvold's Plan for the North Gregory Hotel. Sourced from The Longreach Leader, 10 September 1948, p.9.
North Gregory Hotel, Winton, 2006. Photograph by Chris Ring, Flickr. This image is copyright and may not be reproduced without permission of the photographer.
Beer Garden, North Gregory Hotel, Winton, ca. 1960. Courtesy of Queensland State Archives.
Portrait of Daphne Mayo. Courtesy of State Library of Queensland.
Jolly Swagman statue, by sculptress Daphne Mayo, at Winton, 1995. Photograph by Gordon Undy. Courtesy of National Library of Australia, an11893253-3. This image is copyright and may not be reproduced without permission of the National Library.
Select references
The main sources for this article were newspaper clippings accessed through Trove. The following represents a small selection of references used.
"1950 Will Be a Better Year for Winton." The Longreach Leader. 14 December 1949, p.46.
Cousins, Geoffrey. Eminent Queensland Engineers Volume II. The Institute of Engineers Australia, Brisbane, 1999.
"Free Beer at Hotel Opening." The Central Queensland Herald (Rockhampton). 21 April 1955, p.27.
Hampson, Alice. "Eddie Hegvold and Central Queensland's Mid-Century Modern." In Time and Place: Queensland's Cultural Heritage Newsletter, no. 14, 2006, p.4.
Hampson, Alice. "My Favourite Place: Alice Hampson on the North Gregory Hotel, Winton." In Time and Place: Queensland's Cultural Heritage Newsletter, no. 14, 2006, p.8.
McKay, Judith. Daphne Mayo: Let There Be Sculpture. Queensland Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane, 2011.
Moir, Annette. "From Black Ruins, 'The best country pub in Australia': Queensland This Week." The Courier Mail. 20 November 1954, p.9.
"New Winton Hotel Nears Completion." Townsville Daily Bulletin. 5 January 1955. p.1.
North Gregory Hotel (website). Accessed 10 July 2015.
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Tags: 1950s, Daphne Mayo, Disasters, Hegvold, Hotels, Mulholland, Western Queensland, Winton
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Leona Murphy.
We will be attending the Longreach wedding of our grandson to Maree Owens in October 2015. Now we are devastated with the Winton tragedy because we intended to do a week's sight-seeing in the area. Please convince my husband and me to stick to our original plan. Reg and Leona Murphy.
queenslanddecoproject
Hi Leona, sounds like a special trip to look forward to. The loss of the Waltzing Matilda Centre is indeed very sad, but there is still lots to see and do in and around Winton – the North Gregory Hotel for one, the other sites related to Waltzing Matilda, the fascinating dinosaur heritage and the beautiful outback landscape to name a few. Check out this website for ideas: http://www.experiencewinton.com.au/home Enjoy your grandson's wedding! Cheers, Iona
What a fascinating building! Wonderful to be educated on the mix of local and global significance of a single site. Makes me want to visit!
lonebonekaffekone
I have only just caught up with the loss of the Waltzing Matilda Centre – how tragic. Great article – North Gregory Hotel, and the spirit of Winton, sounds amazing
Noel Lipp
For a town that has to continually face long periods of drought, not to mention the Waltzing Matilda tragedy, I am amazed by the resilience of the community in its ability to still offer world class attractions to visitors to the area.
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The organizers of the Seaprog Festival in Seattle have announced the first set of confirmed performers for the 2017 festival. The best known names are Jack o' the Clock and Zero Times Everything, but a host of other bands are featured, mostly from the Northwest. The festival will take place June 2-4, 2017.
We are very happy to be bringing Zero Times Everything to Seattle. TThe NYC-based trio - featuring Seattle native Tony Geballe, Pietro Russino, and Richard Sylvarnes - brings a new dimension to Seaprog by creating an immersive audio-visual experience. California will be represented by the amazing Jack o' the Clock, a Bay Area band with a unique sound that has been garnering praise for several years, with their latest album gracing many Best of 2016 lists.
But once again, our focus remains on highlighting the talent available in the Northwest, with bands representing Seattle (Omni, Paraeasthesia, Pinto Wagonfire, Moon Letters), Portland (Human Ottoman), and Bellingham (Ibex).
Additional extremely appetizing acts are currently in negotiation and will be announced in due time. Look for periodic artist profiles to come on our Facebook page.


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ASPCA® Dispatches Mobile CSI Unit, Forensics & Animal Response Teams To Manage Recovery of Evidence in Wisconsin Animal Seizure
CAZENOVIA, Wis. – The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®), under the authority and request of the Richland County (Wis.) District Attorney and Dane County Humane Society, has dispatched its forensics and animal response teams, as well as its Mobile CSI Unit, to collect evidence in the investigation of an animal sanctuary in Cazenovia, Wis., known as the Thyme and Sage Ranch.
The ASPCA is evaluating more than 300 animals found at the site, which are being seized by the Richland County Sheriff's Department. The ASPCA is collecting evidence for the prosecution of the criminal case, as well as lending the services of its special forensic cruelty investigation team, comprised of disaster animal rescuers and field service investigators. More than a dozen responders from the ASPCA's Disaster Response team are also on site, along with the ASPCA's "Mobile Animal Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Unit," a critical tool in the collection and processing of evidence at crime scenes.
"Animal cruelty is unacceptable, and we are doing everything we can to lend our support to this critical investigation," said ASPCA President and CEO Ed Sayres. "The ASPCA's Mobile Animal CSI unit is an important component in the effort against animal cruelty, as it offers the ability to work on-site with the necessary tools, allowing evidence to be processed more accurately and efficiently."
Animals are being examined on the scene and in the ASPCA's CSI unit, which brings both state-of-the-art forensics tools and unmatched expertise to crime scenes. The specially-designed vehicle is also outfitted with medical equipment tailored for animal patients.
Approximately 300 dogs were discovered during the execution of the search warrant, led by the Richland County Sheriff's department on Tuesday, May 19. Other animals on the property include horses, rabbits, chickens, goats, horses, sheep and llamas. Thyme and Sage Ranch holds the contract for Richland County to pick up stray dogs and small animals.
Animal rescue professionals from national organizations, including the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), American Humane Association (AHA), and Hooved Animal Rescue and Protection Society (HARPS), as well as local agencies such as Dane County Humane Society, are helping handle animals on the scene. PetSmart Charities® is providing much-needed resources and supplies. Dane County Humane Society is also providing outdoor space for emergency shelter tents for animals involved in the investigation.
About the ASPCA®
Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) was the first animal welfare organization to be established in North America and today serves as the nation's leading voice for vulnerable and victimized animals. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation with more than two million supporters nationwide, the ASPCA is committed to preventing cruelty to dogs, cats, equines, and farm animals throughout the United States. The ASPCA assists animals in need through on-the-ground disaster and cruelty interventions, behavioral rehabilitation, animal placement, legal and legislative advocacy, and the advancement of the sheltering and veterinary community through research, training, and resources. For more information, visit www.ASPCA.org, and follow the ASPCA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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THE NEWARK SYMPHONY PRESENTS "Traveling Through the Old World" Mother's Day at the Symphony Simeone Tartaglione, Music Director Sunday, May 10, 2015, 3:00 p.m. The Independence School 1300 Paper Mill Road, Newark, DE 19711 Tickets available at the door: Adult $20, Senior $15, Student $10, 12 & Under Free Or through NSO website: www.newarksymphony.org The Newark Symphony concludes its musical world tour with "Traveling Through the Old World" on Mother's Day at the Symphony. Selections to be performed are Debussy's Prelude a l'apres midi d'un faune, Grieg's Piano concerto in A minor, Op. 16. The pianist will be Jennifer Nicole Campbell, College Division winner of the NSO Youth Concerto Competition. Also to be performed are Stravinsky's Berceuse and Finale from Firebird Suite, with the Delaware Youth Symphony Orchestra as Special Guests. Manuel de Falla's Three Cornered Hat, Suite No. 1, George Enescu's Romanian Rhapsody No. 1, and Maurice Ravel's Bolero conclude the program.


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Butterfly Lovers è un film del 2008 diretto da Jingle Ma, con Wu Chun, Charlene Choi e Hu Ge. La storia è basata su un'antica leggenda cinese dal titolo omonimo ma in versione wuxia.

La pellicola è conosciuta anche con il titolo di The Assassin's Blade o Jiandie (cinese tradizionale: 劍蝶; cinese semplificato: 剑蝶; pinyin: Jiàndié; traduzione inglese: Sword Butterfly).

Trama

Collegamenti esterni

Scheda su Butterfly Lovers dell'Hong Kong Movie Database

Baidu Baike
Blog ufficiale di Butterfly Lovers
Blog ufficiale del film su sina.com

Film wuxiapian


James was understandably forlorn after Tuesday's 105-97 loss. He had 32 points, 18 rebounds and 9 assists in another attempt to carry the Cavs but it wasn't enough to cover their deficiencies. James was so dominant throughout the series that he was considered an MVP contender even as a member of the losing team. He scored or assisted on 57.7 points per game, the most in Finals history, even more than Michael Jordan's 55.3 in 1993. The story was as much about James' ability to single-handedly take over games as it was about Steph Curry's spectacular shooting.
Two narratives entranced: James giving everything to give Cleveland its first NBA title and its first pro sports' title since the Browns won in 1964. Or, Curry, on his elfin feet, with his magician's sleight-of-hand release, leading Golden State to its first title since Rick Barry's golden year of 1975.
Pick your plot. Both were riveting.
In the end, the better team won, as was the case when the San Antonio Spurs dissected the Heat last year. James couldn't compensate for Cleveland's weaker supporting cast and 38 percent accuracy, one of the worst shooting performances in Finals history. It was a minor miracle that Cleveland even got to the Finals given the potluck composition of the team with a rookie coach. Things got more complicated when Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving got hurt.
Those factors were no consolation for James, now 2-4 in NBA Finals, with the two wins in Miami and the four losses split between Miami and Cleveland. From under the brim of a hat pulled low over his eyes, James said that losing the championship causes an indescribable pain, whether it's in Miami, Cleveland or on Mars.
Miami fans would have liked to see the Heat play the Warriors. Had James stayed here, a fifth straight Finals appearance for the Heat was practically a given. But he decided to go home and embark on his Cleveland reclamation project. For that decision, and the way he enacted it, many Miami fans have disowned him and were rooting against him with the same passion they once felt in rooting for him.
The man certainly does not inspire neutrality. Clevelanders who burned his jersey, cursed his name and wished he would never win a title love him today. They are as hypocritical and tacky as the Miami fans who would swoon if James came back to the Heat.
An air of triumph — or of comeuppance served — suffused Miami on Wednesday. The most clever gloat was a Game of Thrones spoof by radio hosts Joy Taylor and Jonathan Zaslow of 790 AM/104.3 FM The Ticket. Taylor clanged on a platter and called out, "Shame! Shame!" to imitate the humiliating walk of atonement Queen Regent Cersei Lannister had to make before she could return to the castle. King James was humbled, too.
And, to make the episode even more of a downer, Jon Snow, the honorable but soft Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, was stabbed by his own men and left to die by a "Traitor" sign. This symbolism was rich for Heat fans turned LeBron haters.
Because the Cavs lost, James must endure the comparison game all over again. He's the only player to play in five straight NBA Finals since the playoffs expanded to 16 teams in 1983-84, notes the Elias Sports Bureau. He joins esteemed company in Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Karl Malone and Wilt Chamberlain in possessing a losing record in the Finals.
But, but, but – there's that bugaboo about James failing in the clutch. He missed 14 of his 17 field goals in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter and overtime with the score within five points in these Finals, and has shot a not-so-heroic 30 percent in Finals clutch time for his career, according to ESPN Stats and Information. Nor is he up there with Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, who all had winning Finals records.
The big picture shows James winning only two titles in 12 years. The immediate picture showed James pulling a mediocre, hobbled team to the threshold of a championship. This was not 2011, when James shrunk against the Dallas Mavericks. This was James becoming the first player to lead both Finals teams in points, rebounds and assists.
He's 30. The clock is ticking. The comparisons won't end until he wins more championships. It's fun and fine for Miamians feeling jilted by James to gloat about his loss in the NBA's 2015 game of thrones. But give LeBron time. He has a way of making history.


Arnas Razgūnas is a gentleman and passionate professional in everything he does. A dedicated swing dancer and instructor, co-founder of What a Jazz Dance Studio in Vilnius and co-organizer of the one and only Balboa & Shag festival in Lithuania – Swing Paradise.
Driven by the pure joy and power of swing music, Arnas is actively promoting jazz culture and education with Rhythm Lord Brothers in Lithuania. Rich experience in teaching every day local classes grants quality and fun with clear explanation of his material by expressing swing music and yourself in it.
Along with Eglė Nemickaitė and Swingout.pl community he helped creating Collegiate Shag scene in Lithuania and Poland.


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Expectant Mothers Can Now Get a 3D Model of Their Unborn Baby (VIDEO)
LIFENEWS: Judges on "Top Chef" Finale Wear Lapel Pins Supporting Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz
Imitating Mary's 10 Amazing Virtues
RT.COM, March 9, 2018
Expectant parents can now print models of their unborn children using ultrasound photos. The models can be 3D-printed in plastic and even in precious metals such as silver, gold and platinum.
The service offered by Russian company Embryo 3D uses the ultrasounds to precisely 3D-print incredibly detailed models, which include the baby's face, hands, feet and umbilical cord. The head of Embryo 3D Ivan Gridin says he was inspired to set up the company due to his friends anxieties about her unborn child.
"I have a friend, her name is Veronika, she was worried about the health of her child and wanted to see it," he explained. "She had an ultrasound several times, but it wasn't enough. I was fond of new technologies at that time and 3D-printing. And I said 'let's print it.'"
Initially the company made the models entirely from plastic, but now they can make plaster models and cover them with precious metals. Expectant mother Yuliana Recun, who took part in the process in the city of Ufa on Wednesday, said: "We ordered a 3D model of our child, which is in my belly now. It is weird feeling, the child hasn't been born yet and but you can touch it and feel it as it is."
The models are an advancement on the earlier practice of using 3D and 4D ultrasounds to monitor the development of babies in the womb. Discussing that technology, in a publication by the Radiological Society of North America, Dr Deborah Levine said: "Patients, of course, love 3D pictures, but as radiologists we have to be careful that we're not performing an ultrasound for the fun of it."
https://www.rt.com/news/420776-3d-print-baby-fetus/
Will The Catholic Church Pass the Joe Biden Test? by Tim Busch
Societal Polarization: Dangerous But Also a Sacred Duty. by Dr. Jeff Mirus
The Brown Pelican Society of Louisiana exists to give lay Catholics the latest information regarding the teachings of the church on important social issues facing America and Louisiana.
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IDOLATRY-18/Wisdom and Science – our most successful idols
Genesis-and-seven-laws-of –noah.com
IDOLATRY-18/Wisdom and Science as our Most Successful Idols
Know your CREATOR, know yourself and know the difference
1: An inventory check
When ELKM spoke in plural before creating Adam, saying "Let Us Make Adam in Our Form and Our Image," the verse does not elaborate with whom He was talking. The rabbis said that He was talking to anyone who was listening, anyone mentioned in the Chapter, either before or after making Adam.
This way, Adam would be made from things of the past and from the future. Adam would connect the past with the future. Adam would come from the past and walk towards the future, towards ELKM's Bride: The Eternal Sabbath, or the Merciful YHVH Who Dwells in the Sabbath. .
Turning 'backwards' into the Chapter, so to speak, ELKM consulted the past Six Days and made Adam. This way Adam is a part or a summary of Nature, eligible to serve as its king. For a king must be elected from among his subjects (Deuteronomy). How else would he be able to consult them and listen to their plights?
A precious gift it was to Adam, but also an IDOLATRY trap. Adam would be tempted to worship items of the Six Days as his idols, as ELKM's PARTNERS. It is as if the "consultations" has rendered Nature a magical charm in Adam's mind and heart, tempting him to worship it. The Six Days would offer Adam False Brides. Our entire human history can be predicted by the IDOLATRY TRAPS set up by the Six Days.
2: ELKM consulted His Own Wisdom and Science
Today we'll focus on another Consultation with the past.
Before creating Adam, as we've already learned, ELKM turned 'backwards' to the very Beginning and consulted the "Wisdom and Science by which He had created the Six Days."
He consulted it as a Builder who consults his master plan, and made Adam's mind accordingly.
This was a precious gift indeed. Adam is Homo sapience, Wise Man. Because of this Consultation, Adam's mind can unravel all the mysteries of the Universe.
The first verse in Genesis Chapter One says, in Hebrew: "Be-re-shit, at the head of the events, ELKM created the Heavens and the Earth…"
Thus, ELKM looked 'backwards' to the "Head of the Events," or His Head or the Wisdom and Science in His Head, by which He had Created the Universe. He consulted it and made Adam's mind accordingly.
A precious gift it was, but also an IDOLATRY TRAP. Everything that ELKM creates is for His creature's benefit but also for the creature's trial. He provided us with a good mind necessary for our survival, but also necessary for our IDOLATRY TRIAL. He spoke in plural to teach us modesty, but also to open the door for the IDOLATRY trial. The idolaters would think that Wisdom and Science is a Partner of ELKM, or they would confuse it with our CREATOR.
It is as if the Consultation in plural voice, has rendered Wisdom and Science a magical charm in Adam mind and heart. So much, that Adam is forever tempted to adore it and worship it, instead of adorning and worshiping the true CREATOR.
Moreover, since Wisdom and Science is bound to be increasingly more successful, enriching and prolonging our lives, its magical status in our mind would also increase.
Science is a successful idol because it is predicated on success. A good success of research in the lab, would create more technology, which in turn would lead to more research and more technology. This way Wisdom and Science grows in a pyramidal fashion whose base always increases. (later we'll see that Noah's Ark was built as a pyramidal structure for precisely that purpose, teaching us to use Science to save ourselves.)
Of course, people won't worship Science and Wisdom by offering to it animal sacrifices, or by singing hymns in its praise. But people worship it by thinking that it can solve all our problems. It helps us to cure diseases, prolong our lives, and connect to each other.
Yet as successful as Science can be, we should remember it is shorthand. Have we not recently seen how Science was used by Nazi Germany to execute its vicious evilness?
Yes, we should never forget that Wisdom and Science is just a tool!
What else did ELKM consult?
3: Our Self, our Sweetest Idol
ELKM consulted His Self to make Adam's self. Our Self consciousness is divine. Unlike the ants and the bees we have not only a communal' self' but rather individual self. it drives us to impact our surrounding, to make a name for ourselves, to be esteemed. It is a precious gift from ELKM, but also an IDOLATRY trap for our trial. .
So important our Ego would be in our eyes, that we would forever tempted to worship ourselves. This is why ELKM consulted His Angels to show Adam how to rule with MODESTY. You can say that our ego is our sweetest idol.
YHVH and modesty
ELKM descended from His High role as a tyrant and consulted with Modesty, to accommodate Himself to His Bride YHVH who hates haughtiness. it is said that YHVH is so modest that She can't be in the same room with an arrogant person. Moses merited his prophecy because he was the modest of al peoples. .
Arrogance leads to IDOLATRY and ADULTERY
An arrogant person is one who worships his self; thereby transgressing IDOLATRY.
They say about an arrogant person that "Heavens make him stumble over ADULTERY with his best fiend's wife."
This if you see a politician stumbling over ADULTERY take this as an omen that this person is guilty of worshiping himself! It is as if by failing IDOLATRY he has also stumbled over the next Commandment: ADULTERY.
The Mirror Test of the prophets
When ELKM said "Let Us Make an Adam in Our Form and Our Image," He set in front of a Mirror and saw His Image in that Mirror, He then created Adam as His Image on the "other side" of the Mirror.
And ever since then, the CREATOR sits on His Side of the Mirror, while we humans are on our side of the Mirror, in our World.
So, whenever we aspire to peek at Him through the Mirror, all we see is our own image being reflected back at us from it. . The stronger our ego is, the thicker our image in the Mirror is.
An arrogant person with inflated ego might hear inspiring words from the Mirror, thinking that God is speaking to him. But in fact all he sees or hears is his own thoughts being reflected by the Mirror. In short, his prophecy is false.
Only a modest person, like Moses, could see through the mirror to the other side.
4: Passions and Desires as our powerful idols
Having consulted the Angles, the Six Days, and with His wisdom and Science, ELKM turned to things mentioned in the rest of Chapter One, even after creating Adam. These items would propel Adam forwards. Thus, He turned to PASSIONS AND DESIRES and said:
He consulted them like a BUILDER consulting his master plan and made Adam accordingly. Adam would be driven forwards by strong PASSIONS AND DESIRES to procreate and rule over. It is a gift from ELKM, but also an IDOLATRY TRAP.
Who is stronger, :
The Desire to procreate,
or the Desire to rule over, gain power ?
You see the answer in the verse that says:
"ELoKiM blessed them saying: be fruitful and multiply,
conquer the earth and rule over…."
The stronger blessing is placed up front. Like a strong horse that is placed at the front of a carriage,
Thu the Drive to Rule Over is more powerful than our Drive to multiply and have sex!.
Hence according to Moses, Professor Young prevails over Sigmund Freud. Seeking power drives Man more than sex!
Some more words about PASSIONS AND DESIRES.
Powerful Drives they are, for our benefits, yet also powerful IDOLATRY TRAPS. Moses warns us that Adam would be tempted to surrender his life to these idols rather than to the true G-d.


Get information about Tony Morales, a Bank of America Retail Sales Manager in San Diego, CA. Find contact information, expertise and more, to start your path to the right loan.
Spring is the busy season for purchasing a home, and now may be a good time to look into the effects of changing interest rates. My name is Tony, and I'm your local San Diego Retail Sales Manager. I'm here to help you finance your home, whether you're considering purchasing a home, refinancing your current one or applying for a home equity line of credit. If you have any questions, reach out and I'll be happy to help.