Grief affects people in many ways. Deep sorrow, listlessness, loss of focus, and manic behavior are all symptoms that a bereaved person may exhibit. Loss of sleep is another symptom and one of the most physically damaging aspects of bereavement. Getting 7 to 9 hours of restful sleep a night not only maintains good mental and physical health, it's also an important factor in the grieving process. Grief is a necessary process, but allowing it to take control of your life is unhealthy and makes it difficult to emerge from bereavement whole and renewed. Consider the following tips if you're struggling to get to sleep after the loss of a loved one.
Sleep is a matter of getting your body used to a normal rhythm of sleeping and waking. Try setting a schedule, making sure you get to sleep and wake up at the same time, Sunday to Sunday, without fail to get yourself accustomed to a set sleep schedule. Cut out napping during the day so you're able to achieve deep, restful sleep at night, and create a totally quiet and dark environment with no screens left on at night.
There are probably objects in the bedroom that remind you of your departed loved one. Consider putting them away, at least for awhile, until you're back to a normal sleep routine. Redecorate by repainting with soothing colors and removing anything that constitutes clutter, which distracts your mind from the task at hand. Try incorporating a gadget that helps induce sleep, like a smart light, which imitates the sunset and slowly dims, helping you fall asleep gradually. A humidifier can also help by moisturizing dry, stagnant air – which is especially helpful in arid climates – and creating a soft, steady and relaxing sound (make sure to replace the filters on a regular basis).
People who struggle getting to sleep at night are sometimes tempted to self-medicate with alcohol or sleep aids, which can undermine your ability to get the deep REM sleep you need. Using drugs and alcohol to induce sleep can create a chemical dependency that only worsens your problem. Ask your physician about natural sleep supplements, like melatonin, or try cognitive behavioral therapy, a regimen that helps you recognize behavioral and thought patterns that foster insomnia and replace them with healthier personal habits.
The food you eat has a lot to do with how you feel and how well your body is able to maintain healthy natural processes, like sleep. Grief can make it very tempting to indulge in "comfort food," which means adding weight at a time when your body is trying to recover its balance. Indulging in fatty or sugary foods can disrupt sleep patterns. Instead, emphasize foods that are conducive to sleep, like milk, eggs, cheese, fish, rice, fruit and vegetables. You'll feel better during the day and sleep better at night. If you're a coffee drinker, consider switching to decaf, at least until your sleep problem is under control, or eliminate caffeine intake in the afternoon and evening.
The more you can do to make yourself physically tired, the better off you'll be at bedtime, so make a point of getting at least 30 minutes of vigorous exercise every day. Physical activity activates endorphins in the brain, which make you feel good physically and mentally, and makes you feel sleepier at night. Avoid working out at night, which will elevate your heart rate and make it harder to fall asleep.
Grief can be emotionally debilitating and take time to overcome, but it shouldn't undermine your health. Sleep may be hard to come by for a while, but if the problem persists, it may be necessary to seek the advice of your doctor or the help of a counselor.


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The Empire is dead, long live the army
Author Topic: The Empire is dead, long live the army (Read 71521 times)
Justin Swanton
Society Member
Interests: Anything in Ancients that gives a good game and adds historicity to boot
This takes up Patrick's suggestion of a separate thread to discuss the persistence of Roman military units in the West after the fall of the Western Empire. The fact that there were post-imperial military formations that contemporary observers considered as being 'Roman' is not in question. Procopius makes this clear in his well-known quote from his History of the Wars, XII:
Now other Roman soldiers, also, had been stationed at the frontiers of Gaul to serve as guards. And these soldiers, having no means of returning to Rome, and at the same time being unwilling to yield to their enemy who were Arians, gave themselves, together with their military standards and the land which they had long been guarding for the Romans, to the Arborychi and Germans; and they handed down to their offspring all the customs of their fathers, which were thus preserved, and this people has held them in sufficient reverence to guard them even up to my time. For even at the present day they are clearly recognized as belonging to the legions to which they were assigned when they served in ancient times, and they always carry their own standards when they enter battle, and always follow the customs of their fathers. And they preserve the dress of the Romans in every particular, even as regards their shoes.
The questions are these:
1. To what extent were these military formations actually Roman? Were they recognisably Roman in their equipment, training, dress, lifestyle, etc. or were they just barbarian mercenaries who carted a Roman standard around with them?
2. How were they maintained and who maintained them?
3. What was their function and how did they integrate into the barbarian kingdoms they became part of?
4. How many and how large were they?
5. How long did they survive the demise of the Empire?
« Last Edit: January 05, 2014, 04:57:37 PM by Justin Swanton »
Ancient Battle Formations
Re: The Empire is dead, long live the army
Taking up Roy's query in the Slingshot thread I'd like to focus on point 2.
Justin, it would be interesting to see your evidence for Roman units being maintained as units by Post Roman officials taking on the diversion of taxes to pay them and maintain them as units. There is evidence for landowners recruiting their own men as Jim says, but that is rather different from ieeping the state apparatus going.
The late imperial tax system and state apparatus collapsed in Gaul (and elsewhere) in the second half of the fifth century. My point is that local landowners could and did maintain military units on their territories out of the rents they collected from their tenants. Not money as such, but kind: food, clothing, equipment. The landowners in effect became these units' commanding officers, and there was a shift from a civil aristocracy leading a life of otium on splendid country estates (as remained the case for a while in southern Gaul) to a militarised aristocracy who lived a much simpler lifestyle in fortified towns.
Chris Wickham (Framing the Early Middle Ages, Part II) argues for the persistence of a landowning aristocracy in northern Gaul. The will of Remigius (+533) shows him to be a landowner in the typical Roman manner, and his status can hardly have been unique in that period. Later wills towards the end of the sixth century onwards reveal the Paris basin to be under almost exclusive landowner control, with little sign of independent peasant communities, though many of these landowners were from the newly-created Frankish landed aristocracy.
This is the square hole. Into it I fit the square peg: the Roman units that persisted after the Empire that bankrolled them disappeared. Someone had to be paying their wages. Note that Procopius mentions that these units "gave themselves, together with their military standards and the land which they had long been guarding for the Romans" to the Armoricans and Franks. Military garrisons did not control land in this period; the Gallo-roman aristocracy did. The implication here is that the commanders of these units were the owners of the land.
This is deductive. I can't quote any text that says 'the Romans soldiers after the fall of the Empire fell under the authority of the local senators.' It just seems the most logical conclusion.
« Last Edit: January 03, 2014, 09:13:45 AM by Justin Swanton »
aligern
Former Officer
It is plausible and I think I said in the parent thread that Liebschutz leans that way. I'd suggest again that some units just collapsed, some hired out to local landowners, and the commanders of some strong armed their way to local power via say a marriage alliance. All are logical, as is hiring a barbarian with his war band to garrison your city or defended site. As most troops are going to be limitanei and farmer/soldiering I would not see them as having terrific military qualities. I would also doubt that fancy cavalry units survive, so the Equites Illyricani and Sagittarii would default to being ordinary cavalry, much reduced in numbers and serving a lord who could provide for them. Why, after all would a landowner need to have a large specialist mounted unit when most of the work is chasing down raiders, strong-arming peasants and escort duty.
Of course , if you gather together enough bodyguard units from an area then you have a force of cavalry and I imagine that is the composition of the Arvernian noble forces that were hurrying to help Alaric II at Vouille. I am not aware that the Arvernians are given a named leader which would support the idea of many smallish contingents
Do we find fortified rural villa sites in Gaul? I am not sure that we do. That suggests that the soldiers of whatever provenance are related to the fortified towns.
We are all in the land of conjecture here, of course.
Roy Boss
Quote from: aligern on January 03, 2014, 10:49:28 AM
As most troops are going to be limitanei and farmer/soldiering I would not see them as having terrific military qualities.
Presuming that there was a state of war between the Franks and Syagrius's realm from 486 until Clovis's baptism in 496/7, these are the troops that "proved their valour and loyalty to the Romans and shewed themselves brave men in this war." They were able to stop Clovis dead in his tracks for a period of ten years - the only one of his enemies who succeeded in doing so. After the peace the Franks and Gallo-romans held them "in sufficient reverence to guard them even up to my time." This argues quality, which would suggest (looking at point 1) that they were a good deal more Roman than barbarian in their military makeup.
In Visigothic Gaul the landed gentry would have used any ex-soldiers they had in the manner you describe, and these would in consequence most likely have been low-calibre troops.
Interests: Medieval warfare, Old School, home made rules
Quote from: Justin Swanton on January 03, 2014, 11:48:34 AM
This argues quality, which would suggest (looking at point 1) that they were a good deal more Roman than barbarian in their military makeup.
I'm reading this exchange with interest in the hope of learning more about this period. Can you explain why quality is directly related to Roman-ness? I've not yet seen anything that suggests we aren't dealing with a faction, perhaps a particularly coherent one based around a Roman heritage, similar to the forces ranged against them? The idea that these are regular Roman units with Roman discipline and tactics would need a deal more evidence. You may, however, have such evidence up your sleeve
Anthony Clipsom
If there was hard and detailed evidence that the Syagrian military were substantially Roman in discipline and tactics then this discussion would probably not be taking place. The trouble with history is that the theories grow but the evidence does not (or hardly does) .
I look at it this way: Procopius's account that the 'Arborychi began to fight for the Romans' some time in the 470's makes sense only as a recruiting drive by Syagrius among his own subjects, the Gallo-romans of Armorica, replacing his reliance on the Franks with a surer dependence on a home-grown army. It was this army that fought Clovis up to his baptism in 496/7 and persisted as units under the overlordship of the Franks after that.
Question is, what was the nature of this army's training, equipment and structure? There are two opposing theories, with plenty of gradations in between.
Theory A: the Roman military tradition in northern Gaul had been dead for decades by the 470s, i.e. there were no longer any disciplined units with experienced officers capable of training new recruits in the Roman manner. The only model Syagrius had when he recreated his army was the barbarian one. His troops were equipped and trained in the barbarian manner, abeit with Roman battle standards and in Gallo-roman clothing, and that is how they fought.
Theory B: the Roman military tradition did survive in northern Gaul. Old formations were intact, albeit reduced in size, and they formed the nucleus of Syagrius's new army which was trained and organised by them. This force, substantially Roman in character, kept its identity even after the fall of Syagrius, only gradually losing it in the course of the 6th century.
Well, you can take your pick, but let me offer a few arguments in favour of theory B.
Nothing proves that the Roman army entirely disappeared in Gaul in the mid 5th century. It is more likely that it was much reduced in size and no longer capable, by itself, of fighting large battles. Hence Aetius's need for barbarian allies to face the Huns. Procopius's affirmation that 'even at the present day they are clearly recognized as belonging to the legions to which they were assigned when they served in ancient times', implies that the old legionary formations persisted right to the end of the 5th century and beyond. The fact that the soldiers belonged to 'legions' seems to rule out the notion that they were barbarian foederati, as these kept their own tribal structures and did not organised themselves into legions.
Of course, one could cast doubt on Procopius's use of the word 'legion' just as one could cast doubt on his whole account, but I prefer to take it at face value unless there is solid evidence for not doing so.
The economic and social network in northern Gaul remained intact throughout this period, as, for example, the pottery record shows, hence the means existed to maintain the traditional Roman formations. If these were privatised by the landed gentry then their upkeep was assured.
One can question whether these formations preserved all the nuances of the old Imperial army, but what would have made for differences between them? The Roman Army had always been an autonomous entity - the troops owed loyalty to their generals, not to the Empire as a whole. This attitude would have remained intact even when there was no longer an emperor and the 'Empire' had shrunk to northern Gaul. What motivated Roman troops to keep their standards up would have remained in place even after 476. The one thing that would have degraded the Roman character of the army is if it had ceased to be professional: paid troops living apart from the general populace. Nothing suggests that this was the case in northern Gaul.
There's a parallel to this in modern-day Britain. With the British Empire gone the British army has remained as professional as it ever was - even more so. It just became smaller. If you don't have numbers but you do have money then the natural inclination seems to be to go for quality.
Might the "arborychi" to whom Procopius refers be the remnants of Riothamus' British army - the timing is right?
Justin's analogy with the modern British army raises a possible comparison with post-colonial Africa, where there are essentially two effective military models: first, the traditional European system inherited from the colonial powers, second the "revolutionary" model acquired either fighting the colonialists or - more often - overthrowing an African government. The Malawi Army, for example, has very strong British traditions - one of its battalions is still sub-titled King's African Rifles. The Rwandan Defence Force on the other hand comes from the guerrilla movement which came to power in 1994. Both models can be effective in creating competent forces and, coincidentally, there can be a strong "warrior" tradition too (like the Tuareg rebels in Mali). The point is that such models create an ethos which can be quite durable, even in straitened financial circumstances. The Malawi army is not well-resourced but, like Procopius "Romans" perhaps, it's still fiercely attached to its Regimental Colours.
Jim Webster
Just to put things into context with regards landowners supporting units. If we're wanting people to be 'full time' soldiers then they really have to have enough land to support servants as well.
So the figures I've come across I used in a slingshot article some time back.
The figure is the number of acres needed to support them.
Nicephorus II cataphract cavalry 460.8
Norman Miles in England 180
Cavalry of Themes 144
Cavalry of Tagmata 144
Cibyrrhaeot marines 144
Infantry of Themes 30
To get things in perspective, the landholding of a Thematic infantryman should produce enough grain to support 3.25 peasant families. So one family can actually farm the land, and the surplus is enough to support him.
We now have to look at how large some of these estates were, has anyone got any figures?
Jordanes affirms that Riothamus's men fled to the Burgundians after his defeat by the Visigoths:
(XLV.237) "Now Euric, king of the Visigoths, perceived the frequent change of Roman Emperors and strove to hold Gaul by his own right. The Emperor Anthemius heard of it and asked the Brittones for aid. Their King Riotimus came with twelve thousand men into the state of the Bituriges by the way of Ocean, and was received as he disembarked from his ships. (238) Euric, king of the Visigoths, came against them with an innumerable army, and after a long fight he routed Riotimus, King of the Britons, before the Romans could join him. So when he had lost a great part of his army, he fled with all the men he could gather together, and came to the Burgundians, a neighboring tribe then allied to the Romans. But Euric, king of the Visigoths, seized the Gallic city of Arvernum; for the Emperor Anthemius was now dead."
At this time the 'Romans' under Aegidius or Syagrius had a force of their own, though to what extent it was a mix of Frankish federates and Roman troops is unclear. Anthemus ruled from 467 to 472.
On the subject of Syagrian legions, the account of the 'British legion' north of the Loire in the Vita Sancti Dalmatii is interesting:
'Naturally, after the realm of the Franks [who were] pious and illustrious and devotees of the Christian religion, had subjugated the city of Rodez (the people themselves conspiring in their [the Franks'] favour), the priest [Dalmas], filled with desire, strove to look upon the presence of the Christian king Theudebert. As the devout one [Dalmas] was tirelessly hurrying to him [Theudebert] in the region beyond-Loire [or: beyond-Loir], it is said he enjoyed an evening's hospitality in a certain place where some sort of Breton [or: Brittonic] legion (so to speak) nearby was stationed [or: was waiting].'
This event took place after 534 when Theudebert became king. The best sense of the term 'ultralegeretannis' - 'beyond legeretannis' is that legeretannis is a scribal corruption of ligeranis 'pertaining to the Loire', which places it north of the Loire.
This mention of a legion is couched in prosaic terms in an account full of the marvellous, which if anything confirms its authenticity. What is interesting is that the legion is in exactly the place one would expect to find those 'other Roman soldiers' that defended the Loire frontier against the Visigoths. Its name is also interesting: 'legio bretonum'. The only legion with a name like this is the II Britannica, formerly posted in Britain before being withdrawn to Gaul at the end of the 4th century. Three of its vexillations - stationed in Gaul - are mentioned in the Notitia Dignitatum.
Speculation of course, but adding up to a coherent picture.
Question is, what what the nature of this army's training, equipment and structure?
I would essentially agree. While the facts are admittedly scattered across time and locations, there is enough to say that forces identifying with former Roman army units persisted for some time after the disappearance of the Western Empire. I think where we differ is how militarily, rather than culturally or traditionally, Roman they were. We have evidence that some, at least, kept their standards but does this mean a traditional command or simply an affirmation of tradition and identity. They probably had a legacy stock of arms and armour - perhaps more than a passing warband would own. But other than that? I don't know.
Quote from: Jim Webster on January 04, 2014, 08:44:09 AM
I'm no expert on this. Just a couple of ideas:
Roman farms were measured in iugera (1 iugera = 0.65 acres). Kehoe Economics of Agriculture on Roman Imperial Estates in North Africa, affirms that you needed 2 jugera to support a man.
The Gallo-roman notables tended to own many large farms (latifundia, each 500 iugera or more), though usually within a single region. Collectively, these could amount to thousands or even tens of thousands of iugera. Given that the great majority of the population lived in the countryside and most of these, in Syagrius's realm at least, resided on these huge estates, one can assume that sustaining a unit of several hundred men would not have been an undue burden for a landowner.
I can't however locate any precise information on the size of a typical landowner's holdings in Gaul. Can anyone help?
On the Italian frontier we have two examples. The first is the Life of St Severinus which speaks of the Roman soldiers at Passau on the Danube who send off a detatchment to get the pay, then see their bodies come floating back downstream and so disperse as no more pay would appear to be forthcoming. This is around 470 Military units that are not paid and especially not fed, can collapse very quickly.
Contra this, in the early sixth century Cassiodorus pens a letter of Theoderic the Great ( IIRC) writes to a commander of limitanei who are probably in NE Italy. In Procopius 'Buildings' there is a reference to Justinian replacing a garrison of farmer soldiers with a garrison of regulars which is unpopular, presumably because that means the regulars need a tax contribution.
However, town garrisons need not be regulars, or even limitanei. In the Vth century Caesarius of Arles refers to sections of the walls being maintained by sections of the community, in this case the Jews and in the 530s The Jews defend their section of the walls of Naples against the Goths. Hence it would be a fair presumption that the quarters of a town were allocated wall sections to maintain and to defend. In the mid Vth century Majorian specifically removed the penalties for civilians carrying arms so that they could defend themselves against Vandal raids.
As to Procopius' accuracy, he is working in an Herodotean tradition and thus salts his account with stories which may have a basis in fact and may be embroidery. The story of surviving legions is in this category because we just do not know enough to be sure. Justin can see them as militarily effective and others can choose to show them as decayed remnants that provide part of a town defence, but are soldier farmers whose radius of action is the farmland of their city. Sadly we do not seem to have an example of them being involved in military activity, but then many of these multi contingent armies are not listed as conveniently as Majorian's is listed.
One pice of comparative continuity is the case of Goths in Septimania. these go on into the ninth century, after the fall of the Visigoth kingdom and the Frankish eviction of the Moors from the region. I remember reading that the longevity of the appellation 'Goth' might well be due to their being financial privileges attached to being a Goth which would have meant hereditary military service. Given there was a benefit to bearing the label it continued on for 200 years after the political entity to which it related had gone under. If Justin's Romans had a reason to muster and dress up at the drill hall once a month and receive a donative, or held land by reason of their membership of, in effect, a guild then they would keep it going.
My doubts about these Romans in Gaul are that we do not know of any political organisation that keeps them going for 60 years. being attached to cities is fine, but that will be small scale and with no coherent means of assembly as the cities do not have expeditionary armies, well not large ones.
I included Nicephorus II's cataphract cavalry with their 460.8 acre estate because they would to an extent be prominent local landowners
It's also not all that far from 500 iugera
From memory here, wasn't the iugera relative rather than absolute? Like the hide it was a measurement based on yield rather than mere area.
Mind you, if we take a landlord with 1500 acres.
He'd need 500 to maintain himself and his family (minimum)
Another 500 would support three or four full time cavalry
Another 500 would support 16 infantry.
To support a cavalry unit you'd need over 40,000 acres.
That's about 160 square km, or 100 square miles. Syagrius's realm would have been in the region of 80 000 square km, most of it arable. Devote a twentieth of that to military upkeep and you have either 3500 cavalry or 40 000 infantry. Go fifty/fifty and you have 1750 cavalry and 20 000 infantry - far more than one can theorize as actually having been subsidized.
Patrick Waterson
Interests: Pretty much everything to do with warfare, especially how military systems actually work.
As a slight detour from the mainstream discussion we might argue for the persistence of sagittarii on the basis that a number of Alans seem to have settled in northern Gaul during the 5th century AD and their horse archery skilld are likely to have lasted for at least one generation. We might also consider the possibility of Illyricani being supplemented and eventually replaced by the light scout/raider types which Celts in general and Bretons in particular were fond of fielding.
The essential quality of 'Romanishness' that I see mattering is discipline (and for that matter fighting technique), with organisation as a secondary but useful feature. If you have an army that does what you want it to then you have an advantage over an opponent whose army does more or less what he wants it to.
I see a general pattern in that the quality of Roman units seems to have been in fairly direct proportion to their proximity to a seat of rule. Troops far from a centre of rule, e.g. the units in Spain, seem to have been lacklustre, but the Illyrian units under the Nepos family were crack troops. The armies of Britain and Gaul were traditionally among the best troops the late Empire possessed, and had a tradition of making (usually ultimately unsuccessful) emperors. Aetius had built up a power base in Gaul (and presumably done his non-Hunnish recruiting there), with Aegidius and Syagrius apparently adopting this as a more or less going concern.
The question that seems less easy to address is the extent to which an effective taxation system still prevailed. If the Roman civil service persisted, then it may have drawn useful revenue from a basically prosperous province, as the usual contribution to the Imperial capital would no longer be made, allowing the entire revenue (such as it was) to be used by the ruler of what remained of Roman Gaul. In practice, one would envisage a degree of cutting out the middleman, with local nobility maintaining their own units (a revised limitanei system) and the ruler keeping a core of good quality palatini, both to give him credibility with barbarian tribes and to ensure that he remained the ruler.
One might assume that overall the towns provided the money, the countryside the manpower and the fabricae the equipment. Most importantly, having a ruler on the spot provided the means to keep everything coordinated and viable.
"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened." - Winston Churchill

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Confessions of José Mourinho
Lately, the Special One was mostly noticed by his punchlines. But today, he is a new man.
Since he became known to the general public, José Mourinho has distinguished himself by his sporting achievements (2 Champions Leagues, 2 Europa Leagues, 3 Premier League, 2 Liga Bwin, 2 Serie A, 1 Liga among others), but not only. Known for being a loudmouth, the Special One has also made headlines for his sense of repartee. At times, the Portuguese even flirted with the limits, especially when he was coaching Real Madrid and was opposed to Pep Guardiola's Barcelona. But today, this entire character of the football world has surprised the observers. Interviewed by the Osservatore Romano, Mourinho confided as never before.
« We are paid to win. Athletes, not men, are paid to win. We talk about high performance, and sometimes there are decisions in the management of a team that have something cruel (…) You pay for mistakes. If I make a mistake, I pay for it by being fired. If a player makes a mistake, he pays for it by not playing for someone else. There's something cruel about that, but we can't let the nature of our job overlap with who we are as a person. To be a better person, a fundamental objective for the Lusitanian.
Mourinho wants to win for others
« I'm very clear on that. I try to help others and myself to be better. One thing that I find difficult to accept is the waste of talent, it is something that, after 30 years of soccer, is still difficult for me to accept. Sometimes, however, the waste of talent is related to the life path of some players, and in this sense we must try to be guides (…) I perceive my evolution as a person thinking about the fact that for many years I wanted to win for myself, while now I'm in a moment where I continue to want to win with the same intensity as before, if not more, but no longer for me, but for the players who have never won, I want to help them. »
A new, more spiritual Mourinho, who has visibly abandoned the exacerbated individualism of the star system of the soccer planet to focus on his fellow man. « I think a lot more about the ordinary fan who smiles because their team won, about their week being better because their team won. I'm still a 'competitive animal,' so to speak, I still want to win as much or more than I used to, but I used to focus on myself. « Finally, Mourinho concluded this confessional interview by talking about a ritual that he will miss immensely the day he is no longer coach: the pre-game.
« The journey to a game: I mean getting out of the hotel, getting off the bus, getting to the stadium, the journey to the locker room, the journey from the locker room to the field before the game starts, there's a lot of spirituality in that. It's never a routine, no matter how many times you play in the same stadium, and you're always doing the same route, it's a moment that has something that you can't see, but you can feel a lot. I think it's a tremendous beauty and I think the day I stop coaching, which I hope is not soon, may be the thing I miss the most. »


Avengers: Infinity War was more challenging to work on than its sequel, the Russo brothers reveal. After a string of hits such as Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War, directors Joe and Anthony reteam with writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely for the MCU's biggest and boldest projects yet. The dream team caps off a decade's worth of Marvel storytelling, and while fans would still have to wait more than a year to know how it all pans out with Avengers 4, the road to the end will begin in just a week with Avengers 3 all geared up for its theatrical debut.
Originally a two-parter, it was eventually decided that Infinity War and it's untitled sequel will technically be separated and will be "very different" from one another. It's uncertain how the current set-up now is different from how Marvel Studios intended it to be (if there's any change at all), but the Russos explained that while the upcoming twin Avengers sequel will have a clear divide, there is a narrative thread that connects the both of them, similar to how all films in the MCU are somehow related with each other.
The Russos' answer may be rooted on the technicality and time aspect of filming Infinity War but the same can be said when it comes to the creative process of making Avengers 3 given that it basically lays the foundation of what goes down in the untitled Avengers sequel. Chances are that once the directors, and writers Markus and McFeely decided on the narrative trajectory of the upcoming Marvel flick, everything sort of followed with regard to where they want to take their story for Avengers 4. Unless, of course, they conceptualized both films backward, meaning they knew the ending that they wanted, and they started crafting the story from there. Further, on top of setting the stage for the Phase 3 capper, Infinity War also has the responsibility of nailing the introduction of Mad Titan Thanos.
It's important to note, however, that despite Avengers 4 wrapping up principal photography earlier this year, additional filming and reshoots are expected for the film sometime later this year. While it's unlikely that Marvel Studios will drastically change their course in case that Avengers: Infinity War doesn't necessarily get the reception that they're expecting, it's possible that they'll incorporate minor tweaks or perhaps add some things to improve next year's offering.


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In The Spotlight Lifestyle Scotland Womans Voice
Mental Health in Young People – are we really doing enough?
May 13, 2019 May 13, 2019 Ashley Brankin 806 Views 0 Comments jenna moriarty foundation, mental health, samaritans, Scotland, suicide, young people
Jenna Moriarty courtesy of Jill McDonald
When you look at this photograph what do you see? Are your eyes drawn to the big, beautiful smile on her face that captures the attention of the camera? Do you see a family snap recording a precious moment in time? A moment that may resurface years later. A memory cropping up on Facebook to celebrate her 18th. A picture she may laugh about with her future partner or sharing it with her kids, who could never believe their mum looked as young as this. This is Jenna and these scenarios will never happen. You see, two months after this photo was taken Jenna took her own life. She was thirteen.
The Samaritans reported that between the years 2015 and 2017, suicide claimed the lives of 549 young people aged between 15 and 35, right here in Scotland. The impact of suicide reaches much further than the immediate family and friends. On average, it is estimated that each young person we lose this way affects 135 people. In Scotland alone, that is 74,115 people who are coping with the loss of a loved one from preventable death and while these numbers may make you sit up in horror, they are most likely to be much higher as many agencies do not document this in under 15s.
As unfathomable as it may seem, it is a stark reality that is facing young people in Scotland today. Where death is preferable to continuing in our world. A world where children as young as four are in therapy, a mental health service that is on its knees and we appear too busy keeping up with the Jones' (or the Kardashians) to recognise the iceberg looming in the distance.
Anxiety and Low Moods
Gillian Griffiths, counsellor and author of Goodbye Baby, explains that most of the young people she meets have issues around anxiety and low mood. "I strongly believe that every young person should have easy access to a counsellor within the school – therefore every school should have a counselling service and it should not be limited to providing a brief therapy, often only six sessions," Gillian told me when I asked what improvements can be made. "This allows for early intervention, so young people can get the support they need as soon as they start experiencing difficulties rather than having to wait until they reach crisis point."
Gillian also works as a counsellor with The Jenna Moriarty Foundation (TJMF) which was set up in memory of Jenna. TJMF aims to provide young people aged between four and twenty-five access to fully funded counselling services as referral times through the NHS and CAHMs can take up to a year.
For Jill McDonald, Jenna's big sister, setting up the foundation has been a cathartic experience and helped her cope with the loss of one of the most important people in her life.
"I get a lot of comfort from being able to help other people. It has actually been good for me to realise that there is a lot of people out there around that age because it's kind of like we were alone at the time. But to be able to help them rather than see them suffering and getting to the extent that Jenna got to." Jill shared.
Jill, Jenna and Grant
courtesy of Jill McDonald
Raising over £60,000 for mental health charities in the wake of Jenna's death, Jill and family quickly realised that not much of the money they were raising was making its way up to Scotland. After much deliberation, Jill and her brother, Grant, set up TJMF which now has been awarded non-profit charity status.
"We do have a wide range of counsellors who do all different sorts of things. We have therapists who deal with younger children. If people come to us, then we will absolutely look to support them" said Jill when asked what they can offer.
Along with charity organisations aiming to support young people and take some of the burdens off overstretched mental health services, a large proportion of the demands are making their way into the education system.
Social Media and Mental Health
Charlene, a pupil support worker, shared her insight into some of the concerns affecting mental health in young people today, with the main ones being social media.
"Social media captures a plethora of issues, pressure around body image and how young people feel they should look and act." Continuing Charlene said, "I work in a secondary school and 90% of the young people I support present with anxiety-related symptoms, which impacts on learning and attendance."
When asked what the biggest issues are for addressing the needs of mental health support in young people, Charlene explained "I think we are slowly chipping away at the stigma around mental health, but there is still a lot to be done and, sadly, funding is not there to address this. Waiting times for CAMHS and assessment is too long, and the NHS is stretched to capacity."
Charlene continued "Early intervention is key. Talking about mental well-being and identification of feelings from a young age (pre-school) and developing positive robust coping strategies to manage emotions, build confidence and resilience".
Resilience in Children
Psychologists and mental health professionals raise issues around childhood resilience and in a time where children are rewarded with participation medals and there are no more 'winners' in sports days, it poses the question: is not allowing children the chance to develop these basic coping strategies for managing disappointment doing more harm than good?
Social Psychologist, Simon Sinek has spent time researching millennials in the workplace and why they are perceived to be an unhappy generation.
"I can break it into four pieces. One is parenting, another is technology, the third is impatience and the fourth is the environment." Simon informed the audience in an episode of Inside Quest,"Too many of them grew up subject to, not my words, 'failed parenting strategies', where, for example, they were told they were special all the time and they were told they could have anything they want in life, just because they want it. You take this group of people and they get a job and are thrust into the real world and, in an instant, they find out they are not special, their mums can't get them a promotion, that you get nothing for coming in last and you can't just have it because you want it. In an instant, their entire self-esteem image is shattered and so you have an entire generation that is growing up with lower self-esteem than previous generations."
Can it be that these areas that have caused such concerns in the millennial generation be filtering down to the next one? Simon also discussed how social media compounds the problem that is gripping young people today.
"We know that engagement in social media and our [mobile] phones releases a chemical called dopamine, that's why when you get a text it feels good." He also explained the same goes with likes and shares on social media and highlights "this is the exact same chemical we get when we smoke, when we drink and when we gamble. In other words, it's highly, highly addictive. You have an entire generation that has access to an addictive, numbing chemical called dopamine through social media and [mobile] phones as they are going through the high stress of adolescence."
Simon is not the only one who believes the use of social media contributes to young people's mental health. In a recent anonymous survey that was carried out through Survey Monkey, more than half of the 42 participants surveyed believe that social media is a main contributor to poor mental health in young people. However, social media is not the only contributor addressed, with many blaming a lack of funding as the secondary contributor.
Overstretched Resources
It is no secret that resources for mental health appear to be overstretched and under-funded. The Mental Health Foundation have launched their campaign to put the "emotional wellbeing of children at the heart of children's school experience." As part of their campaign, they would like to see further training for teachers in identifying children and young people who have mental health problems. This comes after a recent survey in trainee teachers where 60% said they were not comfortable at recognising mental health needs in students and 73% who believed that mental health is given insufficient priority in teacher training.
As it stands, teachers are overburdened with their existing workload and The Mental Health Foundation believe that further training should be delivered to teachers but recognise that there need to be reductions in their existing workload in other areas. They are also are campaigning for independent, trained counsellors in every school by 2020. They identified that a pro bono economics estimate suggested that for every £1 invested in primary school counselling there could be service result benefits in the long-term of £6.20.
Improvements on the Way
First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, recently discussed the Programme for Government that is set out to 'tackle' some 'bold and ambitious plans' for some of the 'big challenges of our time'. Mental health in young people are identified as some of these challenges in her 'Delivering for Today, investing for tomorrow: the Governments programme for Scotland 2018-2019' Nicola states that: "Mental health is just as important as physical health and we recognise that, right now, support for our children and young people, in particular, is not good enough."
With this in mind, the Scottish Government has pledged that they will be investing in additional school nursing and counselling services, creating around 350 counsellors in school education and ensuring all secondary school have counselling services. 250 additional school nurses are to be recruited to help respond to 'mild and moderate mental health difficulties by 2022.' Additional teacher training in mental health will be rolled out by 2020 and an additional 80 counsellors will be made available in further and higher education. The government has acknowledged and identified that early intervention is key to addressing the challenges that face young people and their mental health in Scotland.
This will be welcome news to eighteen-year-old Amy Duffy who recently left school. Sharing her experiences of the overburdened, overstretched resources in the school system, Amy recalls witnessing the pressures on both the teachers and the students.
"There would be kids lined up outside the guidance unit, crying, full on sobbing or having a panic attack and they were told they didn't have an appointment and they'd have to come back, and I could never understand that. Someone standing there crying and you're telling them 'you don't have an appointment" Amy recognises that the teachers were overworked and there were not enough staff to deal with the situation but believes "there was no support of them, no support for us so I think there just needs to be so much more support for them because there was nothing."
Shortage of Counsellors
With future suggested improvements by the Scottish Government, there is hope that changes are coming, however, counsellor, Gillian Griffiths, identifies a practical concern to this proposed solution. "My only concern is that there are not enough counsellors in Scotland qualified and experienced in working with young people, so the government will also have to look at that training provision."
Until these changes are implemented, young people are still at the mercy of excessive wait times or the reliance on charities and existing support in the education system to address their emotional and mental health needs.
"I'd like to see us in schools and doctors' surgeries, getting referrals that way. With putting people through counselling without the long wait list. Without putting the pressure on them asking when they are going to get help." Jill McDonald, from The Jenna Moriarty Foundation, said.
Jenna Moriarty
This is Jenna. This is her legacy.
Further information on how to donate, organise an event or referrals can be found HERE.
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or low moods, the Samaritans offer a free 24/7 telephone service on 116 123.
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text:
Rhoda Kassof Isaac, 1929 – 2022
Rhoda Kassof Isaac, 93, died of age-related illnesses as well as Covid-19 on January 26th 2022.
She was born in New York City and grew up there before moving to a chicken farm in New Jersey. She studied textile design at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and was the mother of Jan Luss (1949-1996, son of her first husband Gerald Luss). She married Henry Isaac in 1954 and her son Jeffrey Isaac was born in 1956. The family moved to Switzerland in 1963. She resumed her studies in mid-life culminating in a degree in analytical psychology from the CG Jung Institute, specializing in picture interpretation. In 1988 she moved to Princeton, New Jersey. Her career included work as an artist in various media including drawing, painting, ceramics and photography. She taught art to adults and children in the US and Switzerland as well as for several years at the American International School of Zurich. She practiced psychoanalysis and continued her work as an artist until shortly before her death. She is remembered by her extended family, her son Jeffrey, his wife Sophie Clarke and grandson Elias Isaac, her three nieces Annie Kassof, Anita Kassof and particularly Arlen Kassof Hastings who was her daily caregiver in the last months of her life, and by the many people whose lives she touched as a friend, teacher, analyst and mentor.


This weekend you might be having friends over to watch sports on tv. No matter what your game, you need something that is comforting, fun, and not too much of a hassle to prepare. You also need a wine to go with it.
If so, pick up a bottle of Zinfandel and the ingredients to make these relatively healthy, entirely decadent-tasting Buffalo Chicken Paninis. They have all the taste you love in that bucket of spicy wings, but they aren't going to make you feel guilty (well, not that guilty!). Toss a big green salad together--maybe one with shredded carrot, romaine, sliced celery and blue cheese dressing to complement the sandwiches--and you'll be ready to settle down in front of the TV.
As for the Zinfandel, I'd recommend the very good QPR 2008 Ravenswood Old Vine Zinfandel from Lodi (suggested retail $13; available in the market for $8-$15). Ravenswood makes good Zins from a variety of appellations, but this one is my favorite with this sandwich. Its cool blueberry and rich plum aromas and flavors are accented with nice cracked pepper notes. The pepper and spice continues through the juicy aftertaste, and stands up nicely to the hot sauce and blue cheese in the sandwich.
Thanks for the post! I'm going to go out and make that recipe! My husband is a big zin fan and we always have it in the wine fridge!
I'm having a few friends over for chili and this sounds fun.
I have this exact wine open right now at home. Ravenswood (and the other "R"s of Zin - wRenwood and Rosenblum) all give us some great Zins. Glad to see my current bottle featured!
So my business partner would probably kill me for saying so, but I think Ravenswood does a pretty good job considering the price point they work in.
At under $10 most of the time (is it always on sale, or just me?) I simply want a fruit forward wine which is drinkable!


text:
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Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation Awards Grant To Cohbar To Develop A Novel Peptide Therapeutic
Category: New Grants
The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) announced today that it has awarded $205,260 in funding to CohBar Inc. to develop a novel mitochondrial peptide for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The peptide has been shown to have neuro-protective effects against a variety of AD-related toxic insults, including amyloid-beta.
Based on a peptide called Humanin, CohBar's peptide acts by preventing neurons from dying, in part by improving mitochondrial function, reducing inflammation, increasing insulin sensitivity and decreasing oxidative stress.
"We are excited to support the development of CohBar's unique peptide, which affects several processes implicated in Alzheimer's disease progression," said Howard Fillit, MD, executive director and chief science officer for the ADDF. "We believe that a compound that targets all of these processes has the potential to be a promising new treatment for patients suffering with this disease."
The ADDF funds will support a year-long research program at CohBar that will include: a) evaluating the ability of the peptides to protect cell lines against a variety of Alzheimer disease related stresses, b) examining evidence that the peptides cross the blood brain barrier and c) an initial evaluation of the efficacy in mice. At the end of the program, researchers at CohBar plan to continue testing in more advanced animal research models of Alzheimer's disease.
"We are pleased to be selected by the ADDF for this peer-reviewed grant, which recognizes the novelty of our scientific approach and the quality of our research capabilities," said Mark Rampy, PhD, chief executive officer of CohBar. "We look forward to working with the ADDF and advancing our research with novel Humanin analogs in the area of Alzheimer's disease."
John Amatuda, MD, co-founder of CohBar, notes there is great potential for evaluating Humanin analogs in Alzheimer's disease as well as other disease areas. "Our unique Humanin analogs hold significant potential as innovative medicines and this award provides critical funding to explore their promise in Alzheimer's disease," he says. "In addition, the association of insulin resistance and Alzheimer's disease, and the interesting finding that Humanin improves hepatic insulin resistance through a central mechanism, provide an intriguing and potentially important link between Humanin's positive effects on Alzheimer's disease and its effects to lower glucose in Type 2 diabetes."
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Sunday, February 3rd 2019. Afternoon at Roxham Road, USA.
no one came today while we were there!
Sunday, January 27th, 2019. Afternoon at Roxham Road, USA.
A cold sunny afternoon. While we were there two groups of people arrived at Roxham and a total of 6 people crossed into Canada: three adults and three children.
The first taxi brought a man from Haiti and his daughter of about 7 years old. He was anxious to cross and did not need extra warm things. The officer spoke to him in French and they crossed without incident.
Later a taxi arrived with a family from Nicaragua: mother, father, 8 year old boy and a baby about 10 months or so old. We gave a couple of warm things. Mom was carrying the baby and she was very scared. Before she went to the border, she said 'God bless you.' and exchanged a hug with one of the volunteers.
A BNB volunteer was there with two volunteers from Plattsburgh Cares. Five people crossed while we were there. Four adults and one teenager.
The first taxi brought two people: a woman of African origin who spoke English and was happy to receive a pair of boots and some warm accessories and a man from Angola who spoke a bit of Spanish (his mother tongue is Portuguese). He was very scared about being arrested. Before they crossed, some warm hugs were exchanged.
The next and last taxi to come brought three people from Rwanda: a mother and teenage son and a man. The adults needed some warm accessories and the man was given a very warm coat. Everyone was apprehensive. Again more hugs were exchanged before people entered Canada.
The RCMP officers respected their script and every one crossed without incident.
Sunday, January 13th, 2019. Afternoon at Roxham Road, USA.
No one arrived while we were there!
Sunday January 6th, 2019. Roxham Road, USA.
A milder winter day. We arrived a bit later than usual and probably missed some people who had arrived earlier in the mid afternoon. Soon after we got there a taxi pulled up with a lone male passenger who was from Nigeria and looked to be in his mid-thirties. He gratefully accepted a scarf from us. The RCMP officer who greeted him determined which language he spoke (English) and then went through the protocol (see below). He grabbed his bags and stepped over the border into Canada. He was the only person who arrived while we were there.
B. If you want to cross at an official port of entry you must go to Lacolle.
C. If you choose to cross at Roxham Road, you will be arrested.
It is not the role of the RCMP to deter people from crossing at Roxham Rd or to coerce them into going to the official border crossing at Lacolle.
Sunday December 30th, 2018. Afternoon at Roxham Road, USA.
We arrived today with a Canadian photo-journalist who has been working on a project looking at refugee shelters along the Canada/US border. We spoke with one of the RCMP officers who said it had been busier the last few days. While we were there a total of 14 people crossed into Canada. They were from four countries: Angola, Senegal, Pakistan and Nigeria.
The first taxi to arrive brought a family from Angola: a woman with an 8 month-old baby in a sling on her back, a young boy and 2 teenage girls. They had lots of luggage which they had to get across the border at the same time. Not long after, a shuttle arrived with a man from Pakistan and two children.
15 minutes later two tall young men arrived who were originally from Senegal but had been living in the USA for some time. One spoke English and the other French and they were overjoyed with the hats and mitts we offered. They insisted on hugging all of us. The receiving RCMP officer helped them with their luggage and told them the protocol and also told them they had a right to a lawyer.
Shortly afterwards a taxi arrived with a friendly family, originally from Nigeria, but who had been living in the US: a mother with 3 teenage daughters. As previously the RCMP confined their remarks to the protocol. Everyone was able to cross without incident.
One of us was able to give out mittens and a hat that belonged to her late husband. The photographer respected the confidentiality of those crossing by taking pictures only of retreating backs, hands and feet.
Sunday December 23, 2018. Afternoon. Roxham Road, USA.
No one came to the border to cross into Canada while we were there this afternoon.
Season's greetings and all good wishes for the holidays and the New Year!
And may those who come to seek refuge in Canada feel welcome and find a real home here!
(The photos are refugees celebrating Christmas in different provinces in Canada and around the world, details below).
Joyeuses Fêtes et meilleurs vœux pour les Fêtes et la nouvelle année !
Et que ceux qui viennent chercher refuge au Canada se sentent les bienvenu.es et y trouvent un vrai chez-soi !
(Les photos sont des réfugiés qui célèbrent Noël dans différentes provinces du Canada et à travers le monde, voir détails ci-dessous).
The Christmas photos (clockwise, starting from top left): Syrian family in Kelowna, BC, with their sponsors; Couple from DR Congo in a reception center in Ottawa; Christian Syrian family in Calgary, AB; Christmas party for refugees at multicultural center in Quebec city; Christmas tree at the now closed down 'Jungle' refugee camp in Calais, France; Christmas party for Zimbabwean refugee children in a South African refugee camp; Refugee camp of Christian Iraqis in Kurdish Iraq; Burmese refugees in Perth, Western Australia; In the center: Syrian refugee boy at Canada Day celebrations in Ottawa.
Les photos de Noël (dans le sens-horaire, en commençant par le haut à gauche) : Famille syrienne à Kelowna, C.-B., avec leurs parrains ; couple de la RD Congo dans un centre d'accueil de réfugiés à Ottawa ; famille chrétienne syrienne à Calgary, AB ; fête de Noël pour les réfugiés au centre multiculturel à Québec ; arbre de Noël au camp de réfugiés " Jungle " maintenant fermé à Calais, France ; fête de Noël pour enfants réfugiés du Zimbabwe dans un camp sud-africain ; camp de réfugiés Irakiens chrétiens en Irak kurde; réfugiés birmans à Perth, Australie occidentale ; Au centre : un jeune réfugié syrien aux célébrations de la fête du Canada à Ottawa.
Sunday, December 16, 2018. Afternoon at Roxham Road, USA.
During the two hours we were there only one taxi arrived, the shuttle bus which brought only four people. They had not come from the airport though. They were a family of four from Nicaragua who spoke a little English. A mother, father and two boys aged about 6 and 12. Everyone was glad to take hats and mittens. The two boys were anxious. When we explained they would be arrested the woman looked worried but was reassured when we explained it was a temporary measure. The RCMP stuck to their protocol and the family crossed without incident.


The innocent third-party rule was abolished in Titan Ins Co v Hyten, 491 Mich 547 (2012), according to a 5-2 Michigan Supreme Court in Bazzi v Sentinel Ins Co.
However, the Supreme Court majority also said the Court of Appeals in Bazzi erred in finding that the insurance company was automatically entitled to rescission of the no-fault policy based on fraud. As a result, the Court remanded the case to the trial court, for a determination whether rescission was an equitable remedy.
For decades, the innocent third-party rule has allowed Michigan auto accident victims and medical providers to collect personal injury protection (PIP) benefits, even if the policyholder engaged in fraud when obtaining the no-fault policy. In 2016, the Court of Appeals struck down the innocent third-party rule, finding it did not withstand Titan. That decision was appealed.
Plaintiff Ali Bazzi was injured while driving a vehicle owned by his mother, Hala Bazzi. He sought PIP benefits for the injuries he suffered. But the no-fault insurer, Sentinel Insurance, claimed that Hala Bazzi fraudulently obtained the policy and rescinded the policy.
When Sentinel filed a motion to dismiss Bazzi's PIP claim, the trial court denied the motion. According to the trial court, Bazzi still had a claim for no-fault coverage under the innocent third-party rule.
In its opinion, a majority of the Michigan Supreme Court officially declared that the innocent third-party rule did not survive Titan.
According to the Court, although PIP benefits are mandated by statute, the No-Fault Act neither prohibits an insurer from invoking the defense of fraud nor limits or narrows the remedy of rescission.
The Supreme Court continued by noting that rescission is not an absolute right, but rather is an equitable remedy.
Therefore, "we do not agree that Sentinel was categorically entitled to rescission," the Court said, pointing out that courts are not required to grant rescission in all cases – for example, when it would be unjust or inequitable.
Justice Bridget M. McCormack, joined by Justice David F. Viviano, disagreed with the majority opinion.
Labeling the majority's decision as "a victory only for lawyers," Justice McCormack pointed out that innocent third parties must be covered somehow because the No-Fault Act requires it and that equitable balancing cannot impose a remedy contrary to law.


text:
Joe Makes The Cover
From December 15, 2019, that's "Joe Makes The Cover." C.I. noted:
Isaiah's latest THE WORLD TODAY JUST NUTS "Joe Makes The Cover." Have you picked up the latest issue of SLOTH BEAT that all the 'kids' over sixty are talking about? It features apple-cheeked dreamboat Joe Biden and the headlines "IF THEY SAY 'OK BOOMER' JOE SAYS TELL 'EM 'SCREW YOU, MILLENIAL'," "Joe's Sizzling Secrets," "Boxer or briefs? SHOCKER! Joe Wears Depends! Sexy!," "Jill Biden: Joe & I Visit Michelle & Barack Constantly," "Is that gleam in his eye cataracts?," "JOE: STAY OVERNIGHT WITH US!," "JOBE BIDEN Hotter than Nick Jonas?," "ALL THE INSIDE FACTS: CORN POP and JOE: Friends Forever," "6 GIANT POSTERS,'' and "Win the Golden Corral Early Bird Special dinner with Joe January 2nd 3:00 pm!!!!" Isaiah archives his comics at THE WORLD TODAY JUST NUTS.
Future generations will look back and scratch their heads wondering how Joe Biden won the Democratic Party primary.
(Answer: It was rigged and the press killed all critical stories of Joe and his crooked family.)
Anyone -- even Michael Bloomberg -- would have been a better choice for the party's nomination -- and would have made a better president than Joe Biden.
Friday, June 25, 2021. US House Rep Ted Lieu has become a study in the abuse of power, an American who was stationed with the US military in Kurdistan is sentenced for revealing secrets, the United Nations meets with the mother of an Iraqi activist who was assassinated, and much more.
Starting with the shameful. US House Rep Ted Lieu Tweeted the following nonsense:
@TuckerCarlson
: Why do you hate America so much? General Mark Milley lead soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq, including combat duties. He's served in the 82nd Airborne & 5th Special Forces Group. I see that you once applied to be in the CIA. But the agency rejected you.
At issue is critical race theory which is a hypothesis that some believe and others do not. Some academic trends resonate with the public, some don't. Whatever your stance on critical race theory, it really doesn't have anything to do with hating America -- whether you are pro crt or anti-crt.
It really is shameful for a sitting member of Congress to pull that crap. When this site started, it was Republicans that we had to call out for saying crap like that. Sadly, this nonsense has drifted over. And Ted was one of the hysterics who pimped lies of Russiagate. So if he's got the time to question whether this or that American hates the country, he's certainly got the time to issue one apology after another for every false claim he repeatedly pimped regarding Russiagate.
A sitting member of the US Congress using his voice to condemn a citizen? I don't think that's appropriate.
But Ted's been so inappropriate for so long -- and there are far worse than him -- that it goes to how Congress is degrading the public discourse.
As for criticizing the military -- positively or negatively -- that's not just a right of the press, it's a right of every American. Maybe Ted needs to study up on American history before weighing in? Or better yet, maybe he needs to stop challenging someone's love of their country and stop using his post as a member of Congress to do so. That is a gross abuse of power and if we had a functioning Congress, there would be an ethical review of his Tweet.
I'm sick of the nonsense. I'm sick of this abuse of power.
And, Ted, you were in Congress when the below happened.
Where was your angry Tweet then, brave Ted?
Thug Recep Erdogen sicks his bodyguards on American citizens on US soil -- with at least nine having to be hospitalized and where were you ,Teddy?
You do realize the significant number of Kurdish-Americans in Los Angeles, don't you? Or are you too stupid to grasp demographics?
You didn't stand up for the country or for the American citizens and you weren't even smart enough to cover your own butt by standing up for your constituents so maybe just stop calling into question the commitment others have to their country?
Where's Ted's Tweet about Mariam Taha Thompson? It's funny who he slams as unAmerican -- and sad that he thinks he can sit in judgment on that issue.
We noted Thompson back on March 27th:
Mariam Taha Thompson. A US government employee who made money on the side via Iraq. Jerry Dunleavy (WASHINGTON TIMES) reports:
A female linguist who worked for the Pentagon in Iraq pleaded guilty to handing over classified information about on-the-ground human sources who were assisting the United States to a Hezbollah-tied foreign national with whom she was romantically linked, the Justice Department announced on Friday.
Mariam Taha Thompson, 63, was charged last May in federal court with "transmitting highly sensitive classified national defense information to a foreign national," who she believed would provide the information to Lebanese-based Hezbollah, a foreign terrorist organization tied to Iran. Court records show Thompson signed an extensive statement of facts in late January admitting to the covert plot, and she pleaded guilty on Friday. Thompson faces a maximum sentence of up to life imprisonment.
During a Friday plea hearing, the Justice Department said Thompson "admitted that, beginning in 2017, she started communicating with her unindicted co-conspirator using a video-chat feature on a secure text and voice messaging application" and that she "developed a romantic interest in her co-conspirator." Thompson "learned that the unindicted co-conspirator had a family member who was in the Lebanese Ministry of the Interior, and that the unindicted co-conspirator claimed to have received a ring from Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of Lebanese Hizballah," the agency said.
CBS NEWS Tweets:
Pentagon linguist pleads guilty to exposing U.S. intelligence sources to Hezbollah
Mariam Taha Thompson began passing secret information after the U.S. killed Qassem Soleimani.
THE TIMES OF ISRAEL adds:
Thompson began communicating with the man, whom she never met in person, in 2017 after being connected via social media by a family member, and she ultimately developed a romantic interest in him, prosecutors said.
After a January 2020 US strike that killed Iran's top general, Qassem Soleimani, the Lebanese man — who is not named in court papers — asked Thompson to provide "them" with information about the human assets that had helped the US target Soleimani. Hezbollah is backed by Iran and one of Israel's main regional adversaries.
Investigators say Thompson accessed dozens of files about human sources, including their names, photographs, background information and operational cables that described the information they had gathered. She held top secret securing clearance, but did not need to access much of the information she shared as part of her job.
The US Justice Dept issued the following:
Defense Department Linguist Pleads Guilty to Transmitting Highly Sensitive Classified National Defense Information to Aid a Foreign Government
Note: Thompson's final plea, statement of facts andindictment are attached.
WASHINGTON – A Minnesota woman pleaded guilty today to one count of delivering national defense information to aid a foreign government.
According to court documents, Mariam Taha Thompson, 63, formerly of Rochester, Minnesota, worked as a contract linguist at an overseas U.S. military facility where she was entrusted with a top secret government security clearance. Thompson pleaded guilty to transmitting highly sensitive classified national defense information to a foreign national who she believed would provide the information to Lebanese Hizballah, a designated foreign terrorist organization.
"Thompson jeopardized the lives of members of the U.S. military as well as other individuals supporting the United States in a combat zone when she passed classified information to a person she knew was connected to Lebanese Hizballah, a foreign terrorist organization which intended to use the information to hurt this country," said Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers for the Justice Department's National Security Division. "To describe this conduct is to condemn it. She will now be held to account for this disgraceful personal and professional betrayal of country and colleagues."
"The United States entrusted the defendant with highly-sensitive classified information regarding one of its most critical tools — human intelligence in an active combat zone," said Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips for the District of Columbia. "The defendant's complete betrayal of that trust placed the lives of American men and women on the battlefield, and their allies, in grave danger. Thompson's arrest and prosecution demonstrate that those who intentionally compromise classified information that is entrusted to them will face swift and dire consequences."
"It's astounding that an American working for the U.S. military overseas would abandon her country in favor of terrorists," said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. for the FBI's Counterintelligence Division. "The FBI and its partners placed a high priority on this case because the defendant provided classified defense information to a foreign terrorist organization, information that put members of the U.S. military in harm's way."
"Today's plea is an example of the FBI's work and commitment to protecting the United States and our national defense information," said Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D'Antuono for the FBI Washington Field Office. "Holding a top secret government security clearance bears a responsibility and commitment to our nation, and betrayal of that trust will not be tolerated. The FBI is charged with safeguarding our nation's information and will work diligently, along with our partners, to protect intelligence and national security information and relentlessly pursue those who choose to betray their country."
During today's plea hearing, Thompson admitted that, beginning in 2017, she started communicating with her unindicted co-conspirator using a video-chat feature on a secure text and voice messaging application. Over time, Thompson developed a romantic interest in her co-conspirator. Thompson learned that the unindicted co-conspirator had a family member who was in the Lebanese Ministry of the Interior, and that the unindicted co-conspirator claimed to have received a ring from Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of Lebanese Hizballah.
In December 2019, while Thompson was assigned to a special operations task force facility in Iraq, the United States launched a series of airstrikes in Iraq targeting Kata'ib Hizballah, an Iranian-backed foreign terrorist organization. These airstrikes culminated in a Jan. 3, 2020, strike that resulted in the death of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force commander Qasem Suleimani, as well as the founder of Kata'ib Hizballah, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
Following Suleimani's death, the unindicted co-conspirator started asking Thompson to provide "them" with information about the human assets who had helped the United States to target Suleimani. Thompson admitted that she understood "them" to be Lebanese Hizballah, including an unnamed high-ranking military commander.
After receiving this request for information in early January 2020, Thompson began accessing dozens of files concerning human intelligence sources, including true names, personal identification data, background information and photographs of the human assets, as well as operational cables detailing information the assets provided to the U.S. government. Thompson used several techniques to pass this information on to the unindicted co-conspirator, who told her that his contacts were pleased with the information, and that the Lebanese Hizballah military commander wanted to meet Thompson when she came to Lebanon.
When she was arrested by the FBI on Feb. 27, 2020, Thompson had used her access to classified national defense information to provide her co-conspirator with the identities of at least eight clandestine human assets; at least 10 U.S. targets; and multiple tactics, techniques and procedures. Thompson intended and had reason to believe that this classified national defense information would be used to the injury of the United States and to the advantage of Lebanese Hizballah.
Thompson faces a maximum sentence of up to life imprisonment. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only. The sentencing of a defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Today's guilty plea was the result of the significant cooperation between law enforcement, the Department of Defense and the intelligence community in the successful resolution of this investigation led by the FBI Washington Field Office.
National Security Division Trial Attorneys Jennifer Kennedy Gellie of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Jennifer Levy of the Counterterrorism Section, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia John Cummings are prosecuting the case.
Thompson's back in the news cycle. ALJAZEERA notes:
A Pentagon translator has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for passing the names of United States informants in Iraq to a person linked to Lebanon's powerful Shia movement Hezbollah.
Mariam Thompson, 62, admitted transmitting the classified information to a Lebanese national in the belief that it was being passed on to the group – designated a "terrorist organisation" by Washington.
Defense Department Linguist Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison for Transmitting Highly Sensitive Classified National Defense Information to Aid a Foreign Government
Mariam Taha Thompson, 62, formerly of Rochester, Minnesota, was sentenced today to 23 years in prison for delivering classified national defense information to aid a foreign government. As part of her March 26 guilty plea, Thompson admitted that she believed that the classified national defense information that she was passing to a Lebanese national would be provided to Lebanese Hezbollah, a designated foreign terrorist organization.
"Thompson's sentence reflects the seriousness of her violation of the trust of the American people, of the human sources she jeopardized and of the troops who worked at her side as friends and colleagues," said Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers for the Justice Department's National Security Division. "That Thompson passed our nation's sensitive secrets to someone whom she knew had ties to Lebanese Hezbollah made her betrayal all the more serious. Thompson's sentence should stand as a clear warning to all clearance holders that violations of their oath to this country will not be taken lightly, especially when they put lives at risk."
"The defendant's decision to aid a foreign terrorist organization was a betrayal that endangered the lives of the very American men and women on the battlefield who had served beside her for more than a decade," said Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips for the District of Columbia. "Let today's sentence serve notice that there are serious consequences for anyone who betrays this country by compromising national defense information."
"This case should serve as a clear reminder to all of those entrusted with national defense information that unilaterally disclosing such information for personal gain, or that of others, is not selfless or heroic; it is criminal," said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler, Jr. of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division. "By knowingly distributing classified information that would be passed onto a designated foreign terrorist organization, Mariam Thompson put our national defense in danger. The men and women of the FBI will continue to work tirelessly to defeat hostile intelligence activities targeting the United States and to hold those who assist our adversaries accountable."
"Thompson was entrusted with highly sensitive information, and she chose to betray her country by providing classified defense information to a foreign terrorist organization," said Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D'Antuono of the FBI Washington Field Office. "Today's significant sentencing shows the dedicated work of the FBI, the U.S. Intelligence Community and our global partners to work swiftly and diligently to safeguard our national security information and hold accountable those who break our nation's trust."
According to court documents, Thompson worked as a contract linguist at an overseas U.S. military facility where she was entrusted with a Top-Secret government security clearance. Thompson admitted that, beginning in 2017, she started communicating with her unindicted co-conspirator using a video-chat feature on a secure text and voice messaging application. Over time, Thompson developed a romantic interest in her co-conspirator. Thompson learned that the unindicted co-conspirator had a family member who was in the Lebanese Ministry of the Interior and that the unindicted co-conspirator claimed to have received a ring from Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of Lebanese Hezbollah.
In December 2019, while Thompson was assigned to a Special Operations Task Force facility in Iraq, the United States launched a series of airstrikes in Iraq targeting Kata'ib Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed foreign terrorist organization. These airstrikes culminated in a Jan. 3, 2020, strike that resulted in the death of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force commander Qasem Suleimani, as well as the founder of Kata'ib Hezbollah, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
Following Suleimani's death, the unindicted co-conspirator began asking Thompson to provide "them" with information about the human assets who had helped the United States to target Suleimani. Thompson admitted that she understood "them" to be Lebanese Hezbollah, including an unnamed high-ranking military commander.
After receiving this request for information in early January 2020, Thompson began accessing dozens of files concerning human intelligence sources, including true names, personal identification data, background information and photographs of the human assets, as well as operational cables detailing information the assets provided to the U.S. government. Thompson used several techniques to pass this information on to the unindicted co-conspirator, who told her that his contacts were pleased with the information and that the Lebanese Hezbollah military commander wanted to meet Thompson when she came to Lebanon.
When she was arrested by the FBI on Feb. 27, 2020, Thompson had used her access to classified national defense information to provide her co-conspirator with the identities of at least eight clandestine human assets; at least 10 U.S. targets; and multiple tactics, techniques and procedures. Thompson intended and had reason to believe that this classified national defense information would be used to the injury of the United States and to the advantage of Lebanese Hezbollah.
Today's sentencing was the result of the significant cooperation between law enforcement, the Department of Defense and the intelligence community in the successful resolution of this investigation led by the FBI Washington Field Office.
National Security Division Trial Attorneys Jennifer Kennedy Gellie of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Jennifer Levy of the Counterterrorism Section, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John Cummings for the District of Columbia prosecuted the case.
Back in May, Salam Adel Algaim Tweeted:
I am Iraqi Who Killed Me? 100 poster in the most roads of karbala city- Iraq. Protesters demand to reveal the killers of martyr IHAB AL-WAZNI
4:09 AM · May 17, 2021
Ihab was one of the many activists assassinated in Iraq -- assassinated by an arm of the Iraqi government since the government made militias part of the national military.
Louisa Loveluck and Mustafa Salim (WASHINGTON POST) reported:
That moment did not last: Iraq's human rights commission says it has registered 81 assassination attempts against anti- government activists and journalists since the protests began. At least 34 have been killed, almost a third of them after the appointment of a new prime minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, who came to power vowing justice for the slain activists.
Mounting threats are now being made against their friends and associates. Disillusionment and fear have forced many into exile. "They came to my father two weeks ago and told him my name was on their list" said one photographer, speaking on the condition of anonymity out of concern for his family's safety in Baghdad.
Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights' Ali al-Bayati told Mina Aldroubi (THE NATIONAL), "Such ongoing killings are considered terrorist acts as they target the country's national security, as well as impact the credibility of the coming elections. The state must end impunity by taking real steps to refer to security officials whose responsibility is to end the violence through investigation."
Sunday, we noted Ihab's mother was still fighting for justice:
Firas Alimam Tweets:
The United Nations (the humanitarian organization) ignores the mother of the martyr Ihab al-Wazni in Iraq, who was killed by the Iranian militias supported by the international community. #كلنا_ام_ايهاب
@UN
@UNIraq
@UNHumanRights
7:44 AM · Jun 20, 2021
Zeidon Alkinani Tweets:
Mother of assassinated leading Iraqi activist Ihab al-Wazni. This brave woman is demanding her son's justice against the govt. & militias, just by herself. They managed to kill al-Wazni, but not his courage & legacy. #كلنا_ام_ايهاب
Saad Murad Tweets:
The mother of Ihab al-Wazni, an Iraqi activist who was assassinated by paramilitary groups in Karbala, is attempting to reach the United Nations car to demand justice for her son 40 days after his assassination. #EndImpunity
Hussein Tweets:
Iraqi "security forces" are able shout at and prevent an elderly mother from peacefully demanding justice for her assassinated son, but act like cowards around his killers. How shameful.
Quote Tweet
عندما تعلم امهات الشهداء الوطنية لاولئك الذي لم ترضعهم امهاتهم الوطنية والغيرة وان يكون عراقياً … #ايهاب_الوزني
1:26 PM · Jun 20, 2021
And Tweets:
These men are stationed at the same checkpoint that let the killers of Ihab Al-Wazni through on the day of his assassination. They are complicit in the crime and should be tried as such.
The United Nations ignored her on Sunday. Yesterday, they visited with her. KURDISTAN 24 reports:
The head of the United Nations mission in Iraq, Jennine Hennis-Plasschaert on Thursday visited the mother of a murdered civil society activist in Karbala, offering her condolences and outlining the international organization's efforts for ensuring accountability in Iraq.
Ihab Al-Wazni was assassinated in early May in front of his home in the southern city by two unidentified gunmen, allegedly for his prominent role in protests against corruption and foreign meddling in Iraq.
The activist's murder is part of a series of killings targeting people who actively participated in protests that began in October 2019. More than 500 people have been killed and 7,000 injured since the start of the demonstrations as the result of excessive force by the security forces as well as militias.
Mina Aldroubi (THE NATIONAL) adds:
Samira Al Wazni has been protesting for days outside a Karbala court building demanding accountability for the murder of her son, who has been a figurehead in the ongoing youth uprising against corruption, nepotism, unemployment and the rule of militias in Iraq. Ms Al Wazni has continued her protests despite threats against her life.
Many in Iraq showed support for Ms Al Wazni after a video was shared online this week showing her approach a UN vehicle whose occupants refused to speak to her before it drove off.
UN Special Representative to Iraq Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert visited Ms Al Wazni on Thursday, expressing her heartfelt condolences. She "explained the UN's efforts to promote accountability for the attacks targeting civic and political activists," the UN's office in Iraq said.
And THE NEW ARAB notes:
While reporters were at the house, Al-Wazni's relatives pressed Hennis-Plasschaert on the UN's role in Iraq's security.
"We just want to live in a safe country… do something," one man pleaded off camera.
"The mother, like any mother, and brothers deserve the truth and nothing but the truth. So the United Nations will always be with the people searching for the truth," Hennis-Plasschaert said.
The UNAMI chief also met with the Governor of Karbala, and the two discussed "the need to ensure accountability for crimes against civic and political activists".
No one has been charged with Al-Wazni's murder. Qasem Muslih, a commander from the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), was arrested in connection with the murder in May but was released two weeks later.
In this week's podcast by THE ECONOMIST, they address the topic of the miliitas and how some Iraqis believe that they will control the country.
The following sites updated:
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