Six months ago, I almost had my children taken away from me because I didn't have enough money to pay any of the bills and keep food on the table for my children. It was the worst time of my life and since then, I've cleaned up my act. I've stopped drinking and smoking. Rather than just getting food on the way home each night, I'm making food at home for my kids. I spend time with them and I now see that they aren't babies any more and they're turning into wonderful young kids. I've been reading a lot about money too and I've started paying off my credit card debt.
The problem is that now I see that everyone in my life besides my kids acts the way I acted for most of my adult life. They all drink and most of them smoke and they all eat out or grab fast food for every meal. They're all in credit card debt. A lot of them basically ignore their wonderful children.
I'm scared of losing all of my friends. I'm also scared of changing back into the person I was, too. I don't know what to do.
I felt more sympathy for Condi's email than I have for almost anyone who has ever written to me. The huge amount of personal fortitude and willpower she has shown over the past six months really is impressive. Anyone who can change that much of their life in a positive way that quickly earns my respect.
Still, Condi's journey isn't over. She's still in an environment that is almost begging her to relapse into her old patterns.
Condi, I strongly suggest that you consider doing five things.
Move to another area where the routines of daily life are different than what you have right now. Move far enough away so that you don't interact with the same people every day and aren't surrounded by the old social circle and environments.
This might seem incredibly daunting, but it's often not as daunting as you think. If you work for a large chain business, for example, they will often help employees relocate to other branches. Since you currently have employment, you can take your time with regards to finding a new job. I would start preparing now, however, so that when you do find one, you can easily move. You might also want to consider moving in the summer if your children are of school age so you don't interrupt their school work.
You don't necessarily have to move across the country – two hours of driving distance will do. What you're seeking is a new normalcy – a new set of routines that don't involve many of the influences that would pull you back into bad habits.
I'm not sure what your actual income situation is, and I'm also not sure if you have an adult partner at home to help you right now, but in either case, there are many programs out there that exist for the sole purpose of helping people in situations like yourself. Don't be afraid to use them, and don't fall into a mindset that other people need the help more than you do. Some examples: WIC offers assistance to low-income women and young children who may need some additional nutritional support; your local food pantry; job training programs; and energy bill assistance.
Again, I don't know the specifics of your financial situation, but I do know that it sounds like it might be tight to make ends meet all the time and that, in the past, you've been unable to do that. Don't be afraid to seek out services that can help you as you continue to right your financial ship.
Instead of filling your time hanging out with old friends or doing the things you used to do (which can lead to temptations you don't need), try seeking out new things to fill your time.
What have you always wanted to learn more about? What skill have you always wanted to learn (like knitting or basic home repair, for example)? Go get a library card, take your kids there with you, and check out some books.
Are you in the shape you'd like to be in? Start taking walks in the evening. Get a portable radio with earphones (that'll only cost you a few dollars) for something to listen to as you walk.
Are there any big projects in your home or your life that you've wanted to take on, like cleaning out and repainting a room? Start doing those kinds of things in bits and pieces in the evening.
If you're in a large city, look for groups that are involved in these things you'd like to explore and join those groups. Sure, the people you meet might be different than what you're used to, but that's a good thing. Go in there feet first and just open up and introduce yourself to everyone there. Good things almost always follow.
One thing I almost always encourage people to do in situations like yours is to try out a volunteer group. Take your kids with you to a Habitat for Humanity house some Saturday or to a soup kitchen. Get to know the people there and learn how to pound a nail – and maybe teach your kids to do it, too. Meet some people who are trying to do positive things in their life, too.
While these seem like hard things to adopt, once you do so, you'll begin to feel really good about how you're spending your time. You'll grow as a person – and the people in your life will see that, too.
You have accomplised an amazing amount already. Yes, in the future, there will be difficult moments where you don't feel as happy with the changes you've made and old routines will seem very appealing.
No matter how much others want you to feel bad about the changes you've made, don't. They're awesome changes.
That doesn't mean you have to go tell everyone how great you are. Being proud doesn't mean being boastful. Keep it inside yourself, but know that there are people out there who are absolutely impressed with your accomplishments – and know that you're in a better place because of what you've accomplished, too.
One challenge that remains whenever you make a serious life change is losing the relationships you already have, which (of course) you value. It's an extremely painful proposition: on the one hand, you're improving your own life, but to get there you have to lose relationships you've built and valued over time.
It's important to remember that the relationships that really matter will stick with you. If these people do not genuinely care about you, they'll stop being involved with your life once they realize your interests have shifted. That's an extremely superficial friendship. It is very easy to build those kinds of acquaintances in whatever area of interest or course of life we spend.
The valuable ones will stick with us for years and years and years. I've known my closest friends in the world for more than half of my life, and they've seen me change (and I've watched them change) many many times over those years. We stick together because we matter to each other.
The rest? Well, a person can always find more people to hang out with.


All are Invited to Come and Share in this caring community.
Jesus' word leads us on our Lenten Journey!
God's Word in scripture tells our faith story, reveals a loving faith in Jesus of Nazareth. He is our friend, savior, and Lord. Teaching us to give, forgive, and receive grace upon grace...to love.
In nature, in fellowship, and in service we grow to learn more about God and how we can enjoy a better quality of life, and overcome our trials with joy.
Loves changes all things, even us. We all can offer something, as God teaches us to give, forgive, and serve. We call ourselves Reformed, always reforming according to God's word, through scripture alone, faith alone, and grace.
God called creation into being, and welcomes all.
WORSHIP, hear scripture, pray, sing, learn of God's presence in us.
We soon will provide Angel Tree gifts for the students at Altamonte Elementary School for Christmas.
What we have here; the World needs.
Serving at the Coalition for the Homeless each month!
Pastor serving St. Marks for six years, and devoted servant in the PCUSA for thirty years: prays, studies, preaches, and plays guitar.
Believes that loving in the faith should be joyful!
Ken plays our wonderful Organ, piano, directs the Choir and Jubilate' Ringers-(Bell Choir). He has served many denominations and churches in Florida and Maryland, and is from Indiana.
April is full of joy, a gifted retired business woman efficient, trustworthy, and will assist you to schedule, meet, and learn more about St. Marks. Native of Georgia she has lived here in Central Florida for over thirty years.
We are created to give with joy. Any contribution enables us to first serve others, fulfill our mission as a Christian community, and maintain our building.
Thank you for any gift is generous.
Email us to learn more or suggest ways we can serve our neighborhood better!
Skilled counselor in crises, marriage preparation, personal spiritual counseling, or for spiritual direction.
Feel free to learn more about us, or ask to be on our mailing list to receive this newsletter!
Copyright © 2019 St. Mark's Presbyterian Church - All Rights Reserved.


text:
Amit Panghal: Mukkebaaz from Myna, who could get onto the podium at Tokyo Games
The Indian Express 5 May 2019
Amit Panghal was born premature and spent the first five years of his life as a sickly child suffering from repeated bouts of pneumonia.
Amit Panghal was born premature and spent the first five years of his life as a sickly child suffering from repeated bouts of pneumonia. But neither his small build nor a childhood spent visiting the doctor every week could stop the boy from playing pranks on towering village elders of Haryana or picking fights with bigger blokes. The 23-year-old brings the same cheeky confidence to the boxing ring, where he is shredding bigger reputations, the latest being three consecutive wins over World/Olympic medallists at the Asian Championships in Bangkok in April.
"Back then, he would listen to the complaining neighbours with full respect," recalls elder brother Ajay of the brat who'd stand chastised with head bowed down. "But next day, it would be the same all over again," he laughs.
Having beaten Rio Olympics bronze medallist Hu Jianghuan of China and World Championship bronze medallist Kim Inkyu of Korea in the 52kg final, after reducing the combative Rio gold medallist Hasanboy Dusmatov of Uzbekistan to a blundering bunny, Panghal won't hold back against the non-Asian challengers - current world champ Yosbeny Veitia and Rio silver winner Yoel Finol - when he runs into them eventually. Punching above his weight was what his village, 7km off Rohtak, remembers of the boy since his pre-teens.
Small for his age, the restless lad was known to turn up on village streets and pull elders' bicycles from behind, steal marbles from other children and run after kites. While elder brother Ajay would win bronze medals in the Haryana State Championships twice in the late 2000s, the older sibling's time was also spent placating neighbours. "He looked weak but he'd never shy away from picking up a fight or playing some mischief. He'd steal kanchaas during a game or run away with somebody's kites and run so fast that nobody could catch him," Ajay recalls.
In Bangkok last month, scything through big reputations proved to be a turning point in Amit's career - bigger than his Asian Games gold - believes coach C Kuttappa. "I have worked closely with Vijender Singh, Suranjoy Singh and Vikas Krishan. But I must say, Amit is the cleverest of them all. He punches as swiftly as he backtracks and that's his biggest strength. He knows that he is short but that does not stop him from trying to win. I'd call him an aggressive boxer, not a passive one," the coach says.
Panghal would previously take longer to study opponents. "In Bangkok against the Chinese boxer, Amit knew he had to avoid medium and long range punches as the opponent was tall and caught him at close range. Against the Korean in the final, his counter-attack worked and he showed that he does not fear close range," explains Kuttappa. For a premature kid who'd struggled with persistent health problems, Panghal had grown up pretty pugnacious.
It could be down to the earliest fight sequences he watched repeatedly: those starring Dharmendra in the movie Dharam Veer that played on a loop once a day on the local cable network. Panghal would sit with his father Vijender Singh in their two-room house in the village Myna near Rohtak and clap deliriously every time the action hunk started punching the baddies and ape his dance from the 20-inch CRT TV. It was his parents' way of keeping him still for a few hours and not run riot with his myriad mischiefs.
"Almost every evening, I'd watch Dharam ji's movies and sometimes, we asked the local cable guy to repeat Dharam Veer. Amit would sit in my lap and not stop clapping and jumping when the fight scenes happened. For him, Dharam ji was the world's best fighter," remembers 50-year-old Vijender.
At the village ground, Panghal was known for his pin-point accuracy to target kanchaas inside the circle - now, it's punches he dodges and lands precisely. He'd follow his brother into training under coach Anil Dhankar at Chowdhary Chottu Ram Boxing Club soon after, riding pillion on Ajay's bicycle.
Panghal would demand new gloves daily, but he'd be given only hand-downs from other trainees. "When I started to train at the village, Ajay would give me some old gloves of his friend and all I thought was to train. I kept pestering him for new gloves but he'd steer the conversation always to what to do in the ring. When I won the gold at sub-junior nationals in 2009, I won a new pair of boxing gloves," Panghal recalls. He'd offer the new pair to his coach who'd say, "Your gold is enough for me. Train with these gloves and win more such medals," he recalls. Next year, he'd become junior national champion.
It was the same year coach Dhankar got transferred to Gurgaon and it meant Panghal too had to shift base. With his father's expenses set to rise, elder brother Ajay decided to leave boxing and sought recruitment with the Indian Army.
Panghal's grandfather Jagmal had been an honorary captain in the army. Vijender tilled his one-acre farm and his father's army pension brought in some modest additions. But Panghal's training also meant Vijender often borrowed from relatives and friends. "I'd ask for some money as I didn't want Amit's training to suffer. We did what was possible, but now when I look at the medals he's brought from the Asian Games, I realise nothing I did must've been enough for a boy as talented as Amit," says the father.
"When I first saw Amit, he was below 25kg at the age of 10 but his movement was very fast. He competed in the 26kg sub-junior category and would often defeat heavier boxers," coach Dhankar recalls. He'd win the Haryana state title in 2013, still a junior, but would not be allowed to at the senior nationals since he was below age.
L Devendro Singh was the livewire in his weight category, often edging out Panghal, but other issues dogged his transition too. Kuttappa remembers dealing with an impatient Panghal. "He was very naughty when he joined the camp. He'd come to training 2-3 days late after weekly holidays. I would hand him punishment, but eventually take him back into training. So I would talk about his strong points. He had natural momentum. But he would not listen or concentrate on training. Boxers like Mike Tyson had also such issues initially. Slowly, Amit started taking boxing seriously and I guess the big change happened when he won the senior nationals 49kg gold in 2016," recalls the coach.
When Swedish foreign coach Santiago Nieva joined the Indian training camp in 2017, he found Panghal's game a bit undercooked for international success. Another lightweight Shyam Kumar had won at some international tournaments, and was firmly in Nieva's plans.
"When I first saw Amit during the selection trials in March 2017, I had Shyam Kumar in my mind for this weight category. Kumar was tall and boxed well from a distance. But when Amit fought against him, Kumar had a lot of problems," Nieva recalls. He initially reckoned Kumar had under-performed that day but then Panghal defeated him repeatedly. "Amit has ring intelligence. He had his technical flaws and his punching technique was not the best, but he solved the tough situations in the ring. Despite not having good power and balance, Amit outdid his opponents with his swift movement and landed punches from different angles. He had that extra plus which all great boxers have," Nieva says, comparing him to a cerebral boxer like Vikas Krishan.
Before the weight changes happened, the Indian team management decided to get Panghal to compete in 52kg at a tournament in the Czech Republic, where competition was to be stiff to even make the team. "Amit outplayed Kavinder Bisht, who was a regular in 52kg at that time too," says Nieva.
In Bangkok last month, Panghal outclassed Dusmatov in the quarterfinals. The two boxers have built themselves a bit of history and nice little rivalry. Bangkok was to be the fourth time in their career with Amit moving up to 52kg two months ago.
Panghal had defeated Dusmatov in the Asian Games final last year but the fact that Dusmatov had been competing in the new weight category for longer made the Indian boxer's task difficult. "In the 2017 World Championships, Amit had lost to Dusmatov and lost to him earlier in Uzbekistan in the Asian Championships too. After the loss at the Worlds, Amit told me he will defeat Dusmatov!" Nieva remembers.
It was a surprise for the coach who was used to other boxers whipping up shabby excuses like losing to an Olympic champion or going down to a tough draw. "Earlier, Amit only looked for more chances to score. But we taught him to land stronger and powerful punches instead of many ineffective ones. That worked for him in Jakarta and Bangkok too," says Nieva.
The realisation had come two losses too late for Panghal, and missing the World Championship medal hurt. "The first time I faced Dusmatov was in his country and I could not read him in the first two rounds. The same thing happened in World Championships, where I had seen his videos on laptop prior to the tournament but took time to understand his game. But those losses too helped figure out his game," Amit says.
Dusmatov's game hinged on the left hook and the key was to block those and play defensively in the first round. It would puzzle the Uzbek and give Panghal a chance to inch close and hit his punches before retreating. "He also jumps for his punch and, with his short height, that made him threatening. I dodged him with my footwork and when he did not expect, my counter punches came," explains Panghal.
Amit drifts mid-conversation to his cell-phone, which is used to update his Twitter and Instagram accounts for 2000-odd followers. He got onto social media after the Asian Games gold, but the phone's also constantly lit as he plays PUBG and Mini Militia. The pugilist insists it's only to take his mind off boxing.
"When I shifted to Gurgaon to train under Dhankar sir, it meant that I was going to stay away from my family for the first time. It was a different setting, and I'd see big cars and showrooms in the mall. But I was happy doing my training," he recalls.
In his free time, he'd watch videos of two-time Olympic champion Vasyl Lomachenko of Ukraine. A bazooka boxer, the iconic fighter's dominance in light-weight categories is down to his ability to connect 6-7 punches in one go. "It's what I also aspire to achieve. Yes, the new weight category is a challenge as I have not faced other European boxers but recent wins have given me a lot of confidence. No Indian boxer has reached the final of World Championship or Olympics and if I am able to do that, it will be the biggest thing in my life," he adds.
Brands lit up in neon signs in those Gurgaon malls, which he only saw from a distance, are now within Panghal's reach. "At the 2017 World Championships, I did not have enough money to buy an extra pair of ring shoes. I liked one particular pair very much but I could not afford it," Panghal says. He'd ask team-mate Kavinder Singh Bisht to lend him some money, which he would repay later. "Boxing also gave me friends, who didn't think twice before helping me. Now I can buy 2-3 pairs of shoes, but those were the things which motivated me to not stop training or my dream," he recalls.
His friends would also cook for him, meals he remembers fondly. "At home, I would eat choorma and kheer almost everyday. But here my friends would cook and I'd make almond milk for them daily. Eating the 3 phulkas with aloo gajar was the best meal which I had," he laughs a rare, hearty laugh.
Boxing also brought Panghal his most gleeful memory yet. "When I went to Bulgaria in 2017 for a training competition, I saw snowfall for the first time and called up my parents and brother to tell them. They too were very happy as I showed them the video," he adds.
It also brought him a date with his childhood hero. "Last year, after I won the Asian Games gold medal, I tweeted about my desire to meet Dharmendra sir and we all met him in Mumbai. We exchanged stories of our pranks during shooting and training," he says.
The Asian Games triumph brought him cash reward of Rs 3 crore from the Haryana government, part of which Panghal spent on buying his father a new SUV the same day.
He is now busy persuading his reluctant father to get himself a passport. "Amit keeps telling me to apply for a passport. I ask him what will a person like me do in a foreign country. Maybe, he'll win a medal in Tokyo and I will go to watch him. That will be the only reason for me to go abroad," Vijender laughs.
Vijender Wins 11th Successive Pro Bout to Continue Unbeaten Run

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I hadn't realized how much the writing a post every day was sucking the life out of me. Not that I don't love writing every day, but forcing myself to write a post every day was a lot harder than I thought. It wasn't until I was sick and missed my post that I got my time back. And truthfuly we haven't been doing anything fun. Last week was pretty much getting better and the weekend was cleaning and painting. Yes, painting! I got Hubby to finish the paint job in the hallway he started last year. I didn't want to decorate for Christmas until it was done.
And speaking of done, I am almost finished my handmade Christmas presents. Another reason it was a good thing to not tie myself to the computer everyday. I actually got some stuff done when Apple went to bed. Of course, now I will have to spend a few hours catching up, but it was worth it.
With only a few more days left until December, I have a few things I need to check off my list. Holiday cards and cookies. I must get started on my cookies. Last year I baked for Hubby for his employees and apparently the request is in again. This year since I know I how many I will need, I won't be baking 400 cookies in one night to be packaged and brought to work the next day (I needed 800 cookies and I only had 400, the boxes were a lot bigger than I thought when I started). I also made sure that the treadmill was free and clear for me to use because baking means eating and I must be able to get a workout in when the cookies start, must, must, must.
I hope everyone has recovered from Thanksgiving and holiday shopping. I hope to dig out my camera today as Apple is 12 weeks old today!! Ack! Where did the last three months go???
Ooh. baking. Great idea. unlike those people in our old neighborhood that gave us No-bake fudge one Christmas, I mean, what is THAT?
She is three months old ALREADY? Wow, time does fly.
Three months already! Holy Moly.
WOW! 12 weeks already??? It seems like only yesterday that we were checking out the blog every day, waiting...and waiting...and waiting for news that you had delivered!!! Can't believe how fast time flies!
I try to blog everyday also. I try to keep them really short. I read some site that have long posts everyday and I find I just cannot find the time to read them as much.


The races at JRA Hanshin Racecourse on Sunday, Sept. 30 have been cancelled due to effects of typhoon.
It will be rescheduled on Monday, Oct. 1 with the same racing conditions (runners, gate number, etc.) after checking the effects of typhoon.
Please check the JRA Race Card & Results page for the latest updates.


text:
Asthma Studies
Asthma clinical trials at UCSF
19 in progress, 9 open to eligible people
Characterization of Adult Subjects for Asthmatic Research Studies
This study is designed to characterize subjects in terms of the nature and severity of their asthma and in terms of conditions that may alter the clinical expression of asthma. Some features will be obtained in all subjects. These include a medical history and baseline lung function tests. This characterization forms the basis for our database that facilitates research protocols.
Characterizing Asthma Sputum Elasticity in the UCSF Severe Asthma Research Program
open to eligible people ages 18-65
This study is designed to characterize subjects in terms of their sputum phenotype. The purpose of this study is to learn more about the impact of having abnormally elastic sputum on asthma severity by comparing subjects with severe as well as mild/moderate asthma to healthy controls. The characterization will include medical history, pulmonary function testing, imaging of the lungs and biospecimen collection.
Interventions To Help Asthma Clinical Adherence
open to eligible people ages 5-17
To conduct a pilot test to estimate the effect of a novel reminder system in improving daily asthma controller medication adherence rates in children with monolingual Spanish-speaking guardians who have limited English Proficiency (LEP).
Mechanisms of Exacerbation of Asthma
The purpose of this study is to identify the causes of asthma that were not previously suspected, to better understand the effects of inhaled steroids on asthma and to identify new way to treat asthma.
Oral Bacterial Extract for the Prevention of Wheezing Lower Respiratory Tract Illness
open to eligible people ages 6 months to 18 months
The primary objective of this study is to evaluate if Broncho-Vaxom® given to high risk infants for 10 days, monthly, for two consecutive years can increase time to occurrence of the first episode of wheezing lower respiratory tract illness (WLRI) during a third observation year after therapy
Pulmonary Specialist-Health Coach Consult Model Pilot
The Pulmonary Specialist-Health Coach Consultation (PuSHCon) study examines the implementation of health coach-assisted consultations to improve access to specialist care and implementation of specialist recommendations for patients with COPD, asthma, and asthma COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS) for low-income and vulnerable patients seen at public health clinics. Three hundred sixty (360) patients from ten clinics will be enrolled in the study and randomized at the individual level to receive health coaching or usual care; 180 patients will receive a pulmonary consultation under usual care and 180 patients will receive the PuSHCon model.
Sorting and Expression Profiling of Airway Cells From Humans (The SEARCH Study)
This will be a single site, mechanistic study of asthmatic subjects and healthy, non-asthmatic controls involving a baseline characterization visit and a research bronchoscopy visit. We will identify differences in airway epithelial epigenetic enhancer signatures in asthma, by analyzing freshly isolated airway epithelial cells from healthy controls and from well-characterized subjects with asthma.
Study of the Inflammation and Airway Changes That Occur After Exposure to Allergen in Asthmatics
This protocol describes a single site mechanistic study to investigate microRNAs (miRNAs) that are differentially expressed in the airway epithelium of patients with asthma at baseline and in response to allergen challenge. We hypothesize that allergen exposure enhances airway smooth muscle contractility and epithelial cell mRNA/miRNA production as a consequence of locally increased T-cell derived cytokine production. The study will involve three visits over the course of approximately 14 days. At Visit 1, participants will be characterized in detail with lung function testing, methacholine challenge testing, and allergen skin prick testing. At Visit 2, participants will undergo bronchoscopy with segmental allergen administration of either cat or dust mite standardized allergen extract. At Visit 3 (either 24 hours later or 7 days later), bronchoscopy will be performed to collect airway samples including bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), epithelial brushings and endobronchial biopsies. Sample analysis will include measurement of miRNA and mRNA expression in epithelial brushings (RNAseq and qPCR); analysis of cell surface markers on BAL cells and blood cells; and collection of endobronchial biopsies for immunostaining of immune cells localization, immunoblotting of smooth cell protein phosphorylation, analysis of mucin content and smooth muscle cell subculture. A total of 38 subjects (26 asthmatics with stable or well-controlled asthma, 6 allergic non-asthmatics and 6 non-allergic non-asthmatics) will complete the study.
The Effect of NAC on Lung Function and CT Mucus Score
This study evaluates 20% n-acetylcysteine (NAC) in the treatment of moderate-to-severe asthma that is complicated by mucus in the airway, as determined by CT imaging. The study is a crossover design, which means that half the study participants will get 20% NAC in the first 14-day treatment period and placebo in the next 14-day treatment period; and the other half will get placebo in the first 14-day treatment period and 20% NAC in the next 14-day treatment period.
Analysis of Inflammation and Microbiome in Patients With Sinusitis and Asthma
This is a cross-sectional, non-interventional study, consisting of three study arms, (1) Full Characterization (AIMS-Full), (2) Surgery Arm (AIMS-OR), and (3) Mucus Collection (AIMS-M). Participants will be recruited and enrolled in either AIMS-Full or AIMS-OR (based on participant availability). Participants who complete the initial characterization study (either AIMS-Full or AIMS-OR), may also go on to participate in the AIMS-M arm, which focuses mainly on sample collection. Participants who choose not to participate in either characterization arm are able to enroll directly into AIMS-M for sample collection only.
Chitinases and Transforming Growth Factor Beta (TGFB) in Human Asthma
The purpose of this study is to find out the roles of two specific gene families (the chitinase gene family and the TGFB family). We hypothesize that chitinases and TGFb pathway genes will be differentially expressed in the airways of non-asthmatic subjects and subjects with asthma. We further hypothesize that genetic variants in CHIT1, AMCase, and TGFb pathway genes that show associations with asthma and related phenotypes will change the expression and/or function of the protein of these genes in the airway in several ways, including the transcript numbers for full length genes and splice variants and, for the chitinase genes, the levels of chitinase activity in airway secretions.
Inpatient Clinical Trial of NAC
The purpose of this study is to determine the beneficial effect of n-acetylcysteine (NAC), an inhaled medication that breaks down mucus, on lung function. NAC is a medication approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of chronic diseases of the respiratory system, including asthma. With CT lung imaging, the investigators seek to identify a subgroup of patients with asthma with a 'mucus' profile. This is a single-arm study which means all participants will receive the same treatment.
Medication Adherence With Telehealthcare Medication Therapy Management
Improving Medication Adherence with Telehealthcare Medication Therapy Management to Change Health Outcomes in Adolescents and Young Adults with Asthma (MATCH) is a multi-center, randomized parallel group study targeted to an at-risk population of Adolescents and Young Adults (AYA) with uncontrolled asthma who have poor adherence with prescribed Inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) therapy.
PrecISE (Precision Interventions for Severe and/or Exacerbation-Prone Asthma) Network Study
The primary objective of this study is to evaluate several interventions given to participants with severe asthma. Interventions are administered in a crossover manner with 16-week treatment periods followed by 8 to 16 week washout.
Role of microRNAs in T Cell-Driven Inflammation in Asthma
This will be a single center study of asthmatic subjects and healthy controls which will investigate mechanisms of asthma through detailed molecular analysis of airway tissues and fluids. The primary goal will be investigate the role of microRNAs in Th2-driven inflammation in asthma. The investigators hypothesize that asthma is associated with abnormal expression of miRNAs in T cells which favors differentiation into Th2-cells. The investigators further hypothesize that asthma is heterogeneous based on the presence and absence of Th2-driven inflammation and that abnormalities in T cell miRNA expression will be most prominent in a subgroup with high levels of Th2-driven inflammation (as assessed using molecular markers that the investigators have previously established). Finally, the investigators hypothesize that inhaled corticosteroids will normalize the T-cell miRNA abnormalities observed in asthma, as corticosteroids treat Th2-driven inflammation. The samples collected will also facilitate the pursuit of secondary analyses designed to investigate mechanisms of inflammation and remodeling in asthma as well as molecular phenotypes of asthma.
Severe Asthma Research Program
The mission of the SARP is to improve the understanding of severe asthma through integrated study of its clinical and biological features and to evaluate their changes over time. The ultimate goal of these efforts is to promote better treatments for severe asthma.
Severe Asthma Research Program (SARP)- San Francisco Clinical Site
The mission of SARP is to improve the understanding of severe asthma through integrated study of its clinical and biological features and to evaluate their changes over time. The ultimate goal of these efforts is to promote better treatments for severe asthma.
Use of a Probiotic Supplement to Prevent Asthma in Infants
The goal of the study is to understand the mechanisms of how antigen presentation affects the developing immune system and subsequently affects susceptibility to, or protects against, asthma development. This randomized controlled study will test the effectiveness of daily supplementation of Lactobacillus GG for the first 6 months of life on the early immunological development of asthma.
User-Friendly Spirometer and Mobile App for Self-Management and Home Monitoring of Asthma Patients
The primary goal of this proposal is to use an in-home, smartphone-enabled, hand-held spirometer to determine the FEV1% predicted ranges that predict the Yellow Zone threshold.
Learn more about Asthma trials at UCSF Airway Clinical Research Center
Asthma resources at UCSF


Constant development in Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) technologies results in evolving aircraft, instrumentation, and control programs of these systems. An open source simulator was examined as a potential method of testing UAS platforms changes. The open source simulator was used to simulate flights flown by an actual platform. Existing flight data was used as a base line of comparison for the telemetry data of the simulated flight. Patterns in parameters such as vehicle attitude and throttle output were compared between the simulated and actual results to determine if the simulator produced an accurate representation of a physical flight. Analysis of the simulated vehicle exhibited similar behavior to that of the actual vehicle in most of the flight data collected. Simplification in the flight simulator model may be responsible for the deviations in magnitude observed between the two sets of data. Three points of interest in each of the three test cases were chosen as checks for the values in the data. These points in the flight were studied in the various graphs of the parameters graphed and the difference between the simulated and actual values was calculated. The values at these points stayed within an average of 0° and 30° for vehicle attitude and between 0% and 33.3% throttle difference over the three test cases. The average difference in attitude was 5.1° over 93 compared values and 8.1% in throttle over 18 compared values. On average the simulator showed good agreement to existing flight data and therefore will be a good tool to simulate flights prior to a mission. The accuracy of the results may be improved with further development of the simulation model.
Ramirez Duarte, Jaime A. (2018) "Feasibility Study for the Application of Open Source UAS Autopilot Simulator," McNair Scholars Research Journal: Vol. 5 , Article 4.


Shirley Downey is an amazing lady. Her passion for Childhood Literacy led to the development of the Born to Read New Brunswick program. Shirley brought the idea of a bag of books for each child born in New Brunswick to her IODE Heritage Chapter in St. Stephen,New Brunswick. From there it was adopted by Provincial IODE and has expanded to the excellent program it is today while keeping IODE New Brunswick in their program to this day. Shirley is an inspiration to all New Brunswick chapters to improve the education of children in New Brunswick.
Shirley Downey, began a program to provide a bag of books for each new-born baby. It was such a good idea it spread across the province. The picture is of a group of Fredericton area women with their freshly made Born to Read bags.
Under Shirley's leadership it became a program supported by the IODE, the Provincial Government and partners from the business community. Now every baby born in New Brunswick receives a bag. One of these bags has been sent to His Royal Highness Prince George.
"Born to Read, patterned after a program in Quebec, was started in St. Stephen, New Brunswick in 1991 by Heritage Chapter IODE and soon became a provincial IODE project. In 1997 the Lieutenant Governor of the province Marilyn Trenholme Counsell, backed the program and gave her pension to buy books for the bag. Her vision was for this program to reach every baby born in the province. As a result, Literacy NB Inc. provided administrative and fundraising support to gather partners to achieve province wide distribution. Francophone organizations designed the program in French, known as Le goût de lire. This vision became a reality."
Visit Born to Read New Brunswick for more information.


I am sure most of you know about The WoW Club. Women on Wanderlust is a group with a sole motto of traveling and yes it is a women only group. We all understand well that when it comes to travel alone for a woman, there are a lot of constraints that come into the way. Safety while travel, getting time out from the daily grind of handling home and work and of course the stress of booking hotels and tickets are the main deterrents in that order. I know many single women who crave to travel but keep waiting till they find a suitable travel companion. A group like The WoW Club solves all of these problems and even encourages those who have a family but can manage to travel alone to get some breather away from the family responsibilities. I met many of these women at this event who have taken to travel like fish to water and are happy like a bird. Travel makes one feel the freedom like nothing else. Out of the comfort zone and yet very very comfortable with the unknown, unseen.
So when these women on wanderlust come together for an even organised by Microsoft Devices for Lumia app tasting along with wine tasting and sampling good food, you expect an eclectic mix of women from all age groups, from all over the country having a blast. Poonam Kaul (Director Communications, Nokia) and Shabri Kashyap spoke about traveling and how cell phone apps can be helpful for travelers.
What if the event is hosted by two boisterous punjabis adding loads of fun to the evening. Playing games with the attendees, singing songs and doling out prizes.
Many apps were introduced to the travelers present there. Some apps are really useful for a traveler like finding places worth seeing in the vicinity, finding restaurants and even clicking good pictures or selfies.
Chef Vikas Khanna released his new book World Feast at the event and wooed the audience by his charming smile as always. Rajiv Makhni (technology writer and TV host) was a live wire with antics too.
This is a hefty book with beautiful pictures and recipes that you would want to try immediately. Looks like a coffee table book but a real useful cookbook for those who want to have a taste of the world. The book has recipes from all over the world that can be easily created in an Indian kitchen, very practical recipes I must add.
The first thing I wanted to cook from this book was an eggplant rollatini that is inspired by Gordon Ramsay's eggplant rollatini stuffed with mozzarella.
This one is stuffed with ricotta and I loved this idea so much that I actually made fresh ricotta and yet finished cooking it within 30 minutes. Yummy melting ricotta infused with red chilly peppers wrapped in melt in the mouth smoky slices of eggplant. This is a recipe that defines the combination of simplicity and good taste.
Since we are getting very good round variety of eggplants in this season, I used those and made wraps instead of rolls but that doesn't change the way it tastes. Rather you can stuff more ricotta in each of those rollatini. Absolutely cheesy yummy.
I replaced the type of chilly peppers used depending on the season again. The fresh red chilly peppers are so irresistible these days and they worked so nicely for this recipe too.
Mince the red chilly peppers and keep aside.
Slice the eggplant thinly and grill over gas flame placing them over a metal grid. You can brush them with oil before grilling or just grill them directly, I like them both ways as once cooked and lightly charred, the eggplant is heavenly any which way. You can also grill the eggplant slices in the oven but I love doing it over the flame. Flame grilling is much more enjoyable. Grill the slices on both sides till lightly charred and done.
I made fresh ricotta** while the egg plant was sliced and grilled on gas flame. The recipe of fresh ricotta is given below.
Place a pan on gas stove and pour the oil. Without waiting for the oil to heat up, tip in the minced red chilly peppers and let it sizzle for a second. Now tip in the fresh warm ricotta along with salt and pepper to taste and scramble the whole mixture to make a creamy consistency.
By now the eggplant slices will be grilled and cooked thoroughly. Place them one by one on a work surface (or chopping board), spread a generous spoonful of the warm ricotta stuffing and fold the slice to cover the stuffing. You can also roll the eggplant slice if you wish. Serve immediately. We like them warm in this weather but in summers it would be just right even when served cold.
You can arrange all the rollatini in a baking tray, spear some pomodoro sauce over it, grate mozzarella cheese over it and bake it till the cheese melts and serve bubbling hot. That makes a richer version of the classic Italian rollatini.
** To make ricotta cheese for this recipe, mix 3 cups of whole milk with a cup of fresh cream (25%) and bring to a soft boil. Take the pan off the flame and add 2 tbsp of lime juice drop by drop and stir till the milk solids curdle and whey separates. Line a strainer with a cheesecloth and pour the contents into it so the curdled cheese collects in the cheesecloth. Let it drain for 5 minutes, place in a bowl and mix using a fork or whisk so it stays creamy for the recipe. Use the whey to make soups of to knead bread dough.
I came across these interesting lines by vikas Khanna while flipping across the pages of World Feast.
I have always felt migration can be in the physical sense covering a distance to be somewhere and it can also be a state of mind when you unlearn a few conditioned 'truths', conquer mind blocks and move into a new territory of knowledge, realization and growth. And freedom.
You don't have to migrate from one place to be into a new place, travel makes is possible to keep migrating to new places and experiencing the unknown very often to those who choose to be free.
I love going to new places, exploring the unseen, witnessing new horizons, meeting new people and learning about new cultures. Sprinkle some love for nature into this and it makes a heady cocktail that makes an experience called travel. I like being a traveler on a whim, with no definite plan to visit the touristy spots and going by instinct. I have traveled on my own and with Arvind a lot and there have been a few times when we travel in groups too especially when we go for treks and cycling expeditions etc but I think we enjoy being on our own most. Although I feel really comfortable even with strangers and I am very accommodating with my co-travelers whenever there have been such times, I feel the need to experience things in our own way is always better. For travel is a very very personal experience, we live through it differently and learn through it very very different. People and places make an impression on all of us, but slightly differently to each one of us. That defines our journey.
Harvinder the real (original) ricotta comes from the whey which is treated to separate some more milk solids from it and the resultant cheese is called ricotta which is slightly granular but creamy.
This ricotta replicates the textures with normal curdling of milk like we do for paneer but it is different from paneer in its texture and fat content. Note that paneer never has fresh cream added to the milk when starting and paneer is a set cheese, ricotta is crumbly and creamy. Hope it helps.
Tried these with red bell peppers & ricotta.. nice, will definitely give it a shot again...When you say 25% fresh cream which store bought cream would u recommend... Amul fresh cream or milky mist fresh cream will do?
Most fresh cream available in Indian market is 25% fat, including Amul. Use any cream you like.


Convenient Size for Inconvenient Times!
When you've gotta go on the go, confidence is key! Keep them guessing with the Purse Size Toilet Spray. It's the discreet and stylish way to take Poo~Pourri with you wherever you GO!


text:
La Schola Philosophicae Initiationis va ser una organització teosòfica-iniciàtica de caràcter teosòfic creada a Madrid l'any 1928 pels espanyols Eduardo Alfonso y Hernán i Mario Roso de Luna, en resposta a les desviacions doctrinals de la Societat Teosòfica, especialment en el que es refereix a la proclamació de Jiddu Krishnamurti com l'Instructor del món.

Fundació
A mitjans del 1921 Mario Roso de Luna va reunir a una desena de filòsofs madrilenys per fundar la branca Hespèria, que va mantenir lligams estrets amb la Societat Mare a Adyar (Madras, Índia), igual que amb els grups dissidents de Point Loma (Califòrnia) que eren dirigits per l'entusiasta Katherine Tingley, successora de William Quan Judge.

Cap al 1928 el grup de seguidors de Roso de Luna va començar a reunir-se en el Cafè de Gijón per fundar una escola filosòfica anomenada "Schola Philosophicae Initiationis", que era una mena de "reacció contra la inestabilitat i indisciplina de la Societat Teosòfica a manera de gresol on s'ha quallat el concepte d'ordenació mental que havia d'haver regit sempre a la S.T."

L'objectiu declarat de SPI era "l'estudi de les filosofies, ciències i arts, de manera comparada i en les seves mútues relacions, i amb la finalitat de promoure la salut, la cultura i el progrés moral dels seus membres".

La nova Escola va comprar un terreny a Manzanares el Real (a la província de Madrid) per a construir un centre d'estudis teosòfics avançats batejat com "La Casa del Filòsof".

També es van constituir tres graus de coneixement "com correspon a tota societat iniciàtica i conseqüentment als tres objectes de la Societat Teosòfica, que en el fons no són més que els tres graus iniciàtics de totes les institucions anàlogues, que per no haver estat compresos i respectats han dut a la S.T. a la desunió i a l'anarquia mental".

Els deixebles de la SPI seguien un programa d'estudis gradual i metòdic que comprenia tres etapes: la primera, estudis d'Higiene i Moral; la segona de Ciències i Naturologia; i la tercera, de Psicologia i Filosofia.

Declivi i dissolució
El 1931 va morir Mario Roso de Luna, que era un dels dos pilars de la SPI. En aquell mateix any, el Dr. Eduardo Alfonso seria el cap visible de l'Escola i va continuar en la formació de deixebles. No obstant això, poc temps després (1936), començaria al nord d'Àfrica la Guerra Civil Espanyola, que en pocs mesos arribaria a les portes de Madrid, suspenent moltes de les activitats filosòfiques i culturals de la ciutat.

En finalitzar la Guerra Civil, Eduardo Alfonso va ser jutjat d'acord amb la "Llei per a la Repressió de la Maçoneria i el Comunisme" i condemnat a diversos anys de presó que va complir a la presó de Burgos, des de 1942 fins a 1948. Després de complir la seva condemna, Alfonso es va exiliar a Llatinoamèrica fins a 1966 que va tornar al seu país.

Actualitat
En el , va aparèixer "Opus Philosophicae Initiationis" (OPI) inspirada en l'Escola original de Roso de Luna i Alfonso, i que s'està organitzant a nivell internacional d'acord amb els lineaments de SPI, adequats als nous temps i d'acord amb les noves tecnologies.

Referències

Enllaços externs
 "La Casa del Filósofo" de Eduardo Alfonso (PDF)
 "El porvenir de la Teosofía comprometido por la Sociedad Teosófica" de Eduardo Alfonso (PDF)
 Opus Philosophicae Initiationis (OPI)
 OPI Espanya

Entitats de Madrid
Esoterisme

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: Mono for Android preprocessor macros Is there an Android preprocessor macros that Mono for Android defines?
I mean very useful things for cross-platform development like:
#if WINDOWS...#endif

and
#if WINDOWS_PHONE...#endif

A: __ANDROID__

and additionally for each Android API Level:
__ANDROID_4__;__ANDROID_7__;__ANDROID_8__;etc

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Are you considering a grant to help your studies abroad in Australia? Here is an opportunity for you. The University of Technology Sydney is offering the UTS funding for Gaokao Students from the People's Republic of China.
Application Deadline: November 11 2019.


Appropriate, comprehensive, and ongoing education for nurses promotes both quality nursing care, nurse satisfaction, and retention. Over the preceding two years, the average daily unit census has increased from 12 patients to >20. The number of solid organ transplants has also grown annually, from 82 in 2013 to 102 in 2014, with that number quickly being exceeded in 2015. Year to date there have been 30 new hires to the unit, most without previous PICU or transplant experience. Education needs identification yielded that of the 16 new hires from January to May 2015, 2 had cared for a transplant patient during their nursing orientation, 8 had completed classroom only education and 4 had been assigned care of a transplant patient without a clinical orientation. The goal of this project is to increase nursing comfort and competence in caring for transplant patients, being measured by self-reporting survey of comfort and pre/post education/orientation testing. Of those who have completed both areas of orientation, there has been a 100% reported improvement in comfort caring for a transplant patient by the 8 nurses who were identified needing bedside orientation after classroom didactic. It is expected that the 14 new hires completing orientation by October 2015 will report similar findings.
Kelley, Tamara, "Specialized Transplant Orientation: Improving Nursing Competence Caring for the Solid Organ Transplant Patient" (2015). Master's Projects and Capstones. 378.


text:
9 October 2015 / SF News / Caleb Pershan
Second Act Approaches For Harding Theater, Long Vacant On Divis
"The building is crazy and it's a mystery," Danny Marks tells SFist of the former Harding Theater at 616 Divisadero, which he's hoping to give new life. While the 1926-built movie palace slumbers, vacant since the early 2000s, new restaurants and shops have flourished all around its Art Deco facade. Danny, who along with his brother Doug Marks owns Emporium, a group of three Chicago-area arcade bars, sees a path forward for the Harding as the fourth installment of their concept.
So, what everyone wants to know: When does the show start? Hoodline has been following the Marks brothers as they've attended neighborhood meetings, and they tell SFist that they're in the final lease negotiation period.
"We're pretty close, we've been out twice to neighborhood meetings, and those have been ranging for supportive to neutral." Danny admits there's "city red tape to get through... but nothing that seems insurmountable. Our sense is people are ready for it to not be a big vacant building."
Danny Marks/SFist
via Friends of 1800
The timeline could look like this: "We're hoping that by the end of 2015 we'll be through most of our permissions, and then we can start doing our construction early 2016, and that will probably put us, if everything goes according to plan, opening summer or fall of 2016."
The buildings' owner, Michael Klestoff, has courted favor for demolition and condo construction at the site, but he's been met with resistance. As one local preservationist group writes,
In 2003, developers purchased the Harding with initial plans to demolish it to build 16 condos. In response to community opposition to the demolition plan and subsequent plans that would compromise its future use as a theater, the San Francisco Planning Commission conducted an historical resource evaluation. The Planning Commission concluded the Harding Theater is a landmark building. According to the City, "by multiple California Register criteria, the Harding Theater would appear to be both separately eligible and eligible as a contributor to the American single-screen Movie Theater resource type, in consideration as an historical resource for purposes of CEQA."
There are a number of ways to see that long drama — the property wasn't listed until 2013 — but Danny puts it simply: "A lot of people fought to preserve the building, so it's sat vacant for a while. It's been difficult to find something that would fit," he says. "What can you do in a 100-year-old movie theater, with sloped floors and lots of unique design issues when you don't wanna do major construction on a building? You can't make it fit many uses. We started looking at it and thought it was awesome, in part since our spaces in Chicago are also older spaces we wanted to restore or repair. We're not about trying to recreate a cool space from scratch."
The plan for an SF Emporium involves different levels for the bar area and various arcade games, all in order to accomodate the sloped floor. The balcony could serve as a private area for group reservations.
So, if you've dreamt of playing Pac Man in a theater where the Grateful Dead used to play shows (fans might know they premiered "Hideaway" at the Harding in 1971), your chance could be coming up fast.
via Emporium
Day Around the Bay: Helicopter Crashes In Hayward
Facebook Faces Uphill Battle In Washington For Its Libra Crypto Project
Sonoma County Man Gets Three Life Sentences For 2004 Jenner Beach Murders, Fratricide
'Yelp For People' App Changes Course After Death Threats, Now Just Sounds Like LinkedIn
After inciting the wrath, and occasional death threats, from the entire internet last week, the founder of that Peeple app — dubbed the "Yelp for people" because it would allow everyone to review everyone
SF Now Has More Million Dollar Homes Than Anywhere In The US
SF's median home price hit $1 million over a year ago, which is a lot considering how many of those homes are just flats. And now, as data from real estate site Trulia
Caleb Pershan


text:
Submit to News View all News
2020 Awards Ceremony makes history!
September 20, 2020 | General
Global restrictions to travel and gathering meant the 2020 Gala Awards Dinner – scheduled for the Sheraton Grand Mirage, Gold Coast in April, could no longer take place. So on the 15th September 2020, for the first time in history – the 2020 CampusLink Awards were hosted virtually and broadcast live across Australia and New Zealand!
Thanks to the generous support of TAG member, Shelley Valentine, CEO at Arc@UNSW, and Jason Lyons, Head of Venue & Events, we were able to use the iconic Roundhouse venue as our backdrop.
Arc AV crew were thrilled to have the opportunity to use their well-honed skills, after a 5 month hibernation period, and provided an outstanding job of coordinating lighting, audio and stage props. A small external team from Audio Visual Events (AVE) set up the complicated video and zoom connections enabling us to cross live to TAG board directors, winning members & TAG Strategic Partners.
The awarding of our most prestigious accolade – the Tom O'Sullivan Memorial Award, motivated us to host a small number of VIP guests at the venue which included Matt O'Sullivan, son of Tom O'Sullivan, to present to the recipient in person. Wine from our generous award sponsors DeBortoli Wines plus light refreshments were served by Arc events team, while the TAG team took to the stage to announce the 2020 CampusLink Award winners!
In recognition of the Awards tradition, the event was MC'd by the esteemed Jeeves Verma, and captured for posterity by one of Arc's resident creatives – Nick Bentley.
A huge thank you goes out to everyone who enabled these awards to go ahead under the current circumstances. We hope you all enjoyed it!
Please visit the 2020 Winners page to view the list of recipients for each Award title.
The LIVE broadcast recording from the event can be viewed HERE and a small collection of photos from the event can also be viewed HERE.


text:
Award-winning Ojibwe Scholar Brenda J. Child Details the History and Significance of the Jingle Dress Dance–Featured as Today's Google Doodle!
Posted byAlison Aten on 15 Jun 2019 | Tagged as: Authors, Native American
Powwow season is in full swing. Did you know that one of the most popular traditional dances was inspired by a dream given to the Ojibwe people during a global health crisis?
One hundred years ago in 1918-1919 when the global influenza pandemic killed millions worldwide, including thousands of Native Americans, a revolutionary new tradition of healing emerged in Ojibwe communities in North America: the jingle dress dance. Oral histories vary on where exactly the jingle dress first appeared, but the Mille Lacs community in Minnesota was a center of activity.
Ojibwe scholar Professor Brenda J. Child of the University of Minnesota recounts the origin story of the jingle dress dance and the significance of the dance as a powerful healing tradition and act of anti-colonialist resistance and female empowerment in her award-winning book, My Grandfather's Knocking Sticks: Ojibwe Family Life and Labor on the Reservation (MNHS Press).
In the book she recounts:
"An Ojibwe girl became very sick. She appeared to be near death. Her father, fearing the worst, sought a vision to save her life, and this was how he learned of a unique dress and dance. The father made this dress for his daughter and asked her to dance a few springlike steps, in which one foot was never to leave the ground. Before long, she felt stronger and kept up the dance. After her recovery, she continued to dance in the special dress, and eventually she formed the first Jingle Dress Dance Society."
Child notes that the story suggests an influenza-like illness, making is possible that the first jingle dress dancer suffered from the widespread epidemic of Spanish flu during the World War I era. She writes:
"Although a man conceived the Jingle Dress Dance after receiving a vision, women were responsible for its proliferation … Once the influenza epidemic struck, women applied the ceremony like a salve to fresh wounds. They designed jingle dresses, organized sodalities, and danced at tribal gatherings large and intimate, spreading a new tradition while participating in innovative rituals of healing. Special healing songs are associated with the jingle dress, and both songs and dresses possess a strong therapeutic value. Women who participate in the Jingle Dress Dance and wear these special dresses do so to ensure the health and well-being of an individual, a family, or even the broader tribal community."
Her book also highlights the design and construction of the jingle dress and how the dance has spread throughout and beyond Ojibwe Country. Today jingle dress is a popular dance form on the competitive powwow circuit and is performed by Native women with a variety of tribal affiliations.
Child also recently curated an exhibit on the history of the jingle dress to marks its 100th anniversary at the Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post in Onamia. Featuring jingle dresses from a variety of eras, the exhibit "Ziibaaska' iganagooday: The Jingle Dress at 100" will be on display through Oct. 31, 2020.
Brenda J. Child (Red Lake Ojibwe) is Northrop professor of American studies and American Indian studies at the University of Minnesota. She is the author of the critically acclaimed children's picture book, Bowwow Powwow illustrated by Ojibwe artist, Jonathan Thunder which features a jingle dress dancer. She has been featured in Indian Country Today, Native America Calling, Minnesota Public Radio, and has lectured at the National Museum of the American Indian. We asked her a few more questions about the history and significance of the jingle dress dance.
Q & A with Brenda J. Child
How do modern jingle dresses differ from dresses a hundred years ago? How were and are they made?
We organized an exhibit at the Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post in Minnesota to show the evolution of the jingle dress over the past century. Dresses from the 1920s and 1930s resembled flapper dress styles of the day, and the jingles are made from a variety of materials– chewing tobacco lids, baking powder cans, and Prince Albert tobacco cans. Today's dresses tend to be more elaborate than those of the early 20th century, but they are all very beautiful.
Can you talk a bit about the extensive photographic record of jingle dresses in the Great Lakes?
I first realized that the Jingle Dress Dance Tradition emerged during the flu epidemic when I was unable to find a photograph in the US or Canada of the Jingle Dress prior to circa 1920. For a historian, that told me something very big had recently happened. I eventually put the jingle dress stories we tell in our communities together with my understanding of the terrible impact of the flu epidemic on Native communities of the US and Canada.
How did Ojibwe women use the therapeutic power of the jingle dress?
They used it to heal their communities. This particular epidemic killed people in the prime of their lives, young adults. It killed more people than World War I.
The jingle dress tradition emerged around the same time as the Dance Order from Washington arrived in 1921. What was that order and did it affect the dance?
The Jingle Dress at 100 exhibit tries to answer two questions. First, why is it the the hundredth anniversary of the tradition? This is where I try to explain the history of the global epidemic. Second, I also consider how the jingle dress has been in the past, and remains today, a radical tradition. It emerged in the context of a global epidemic of influenza one hundred years ago, but the tradition is still with us today because it has been embraced not just by Ojibwe people, but Dakotas, and women from many tribes. It emerged in an era when ritualistic dance was banned in the US. Many of the protesters at Standing Rock were jingle dress dancers, and so women have been politically empowered by the tradition as well. It remains a vibrant and modern tradition, even though it is a century old.
Ohiyesa: The Soul of an Indian
Posted byAlison Aten on 27 Apr 2018 | Tagged as: Event, Native American
This year's Minneapolis St. Paul Film Festival includes a remarkable new film that reflects Minnesota's vital Dakota past and present. Ohiyesa: The Soul of an Indian "follows Kate Beane, a young Dakota woman, as she examines the extraordinary life of her celebrated relative, Ohiyesa, also known as Charles Alexander Eastman (1858-1939). Biography and journey come together as Kate traces his path—from traditional Dakota boyhood, through education at Dartmouth College, and in later roles as physician, author, lecturer and Native American advocate."
You can view the film tomorrow, Saturday, April 28 at 1:30 pm at St. Anthony Main Theater.
As the filmmaker notes, "Charles Alexander Eastman was a renowned physician, author, lecturer and Native American rights advocate. His life has been documented in various articles throughout history, but Ohiyesa: The Soul of an Indian makes for a truly unique effort—a project helmed by Eastman's descendants. Kate Beane and her family bring Eastman's story to screen, charting from his childhood growing to his education to his illustrious career.
"Beside his beloved wife, Elaine Goodman Eastman, Charles (Ohiyesa) produced a lasting body of work that continues to inform Native American culture and the global representation of it. A family effort, filmmaker Syd Beane (whose great grandfather, John Eastman, was brother to Charles) and Kate showcase not only their ancestor's career but the lasting influence his life had on future generations, making for a film that weaves together past and present to tell the story of Ohiyesa."
We are honored to have Dr. Kate Beane as a colleague here at the Minnesota Historical Society. She was a Gale Fellow and is now Program and Outreach Manager working with the MNHS Native American Initiatives team. A member of the Flandreau Santee Sioux tribe in South Dakota, she holds a Ph.D. in American studies from the University of Minnesota. Her research and writing is included in Mni Sota Makoce: The Land of the Dakota by Gwen Westerman and Bruce White. Her section in the book on Bde Maka Ska, formerly known as Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis, details a Dakota agricultural community living there in the 1830s led by another one of her ancestors, Mahpiya Wicasta (Cloud Man).
Here are a few links to learn more about Ohiyesa and Dakota history and culture:
Bdote Memory Map
The U.S. Dakota War Oceti Sakowin: The Seven Council Fires Ohiyesa Dakota Land & Lifewaways
MNopedia: Charles Alexander Eastman, Ohiyesa
Historic Fort Snelling: The Dakota People
MNHS Press: Dakota Philosopher: Charles Eastman and American Indian Thought by David Martinez
My Grandfather's Knocking Sticks Wins Jon Gjerde Prize
Posted byAlison Aten on 08 Oct 2015 | Tagged as: Awards, History, Native American
The Minnesota Historical Society Press is pleased to announce My Grandfather's Knocking Sticks: Ojibwe Family Life and Labor on the Reservation by Brenda J. Child as the winner of the Jon Gjerde Prize for the best book in midwestern history published in 2014 as awarded by the Midwestern History Association.
My Grandfather's Knocking Sticks explores the innovative ways Ojibwe men and women on reservations around the Great Lakes sustained both their families and their cultural identity in the face of extreme prejudice and hardship. Brenda J. Child is professor of American Studies at the University of Minnesota and author of two other books, Boarding School Seasons: American Indian Families, 1900-1940 and Holding Our World Together: Ojibwe Women and the Survival of Community.
My Grandfather's Knocking Sticks is also the winner of the Labriola Center American Indian National Book Award.
The mission of the Midwestern History Association is to promote the study of the history of the American Midwest by way of organizing and supporting academic discussions and conference presentations and panels related to the region's history and culture.
Jon Gjerde was professor of American History at the University of California at Berkeley and distinguished historian of immigration and European-American ethnic groups in the Middle West. He completed his doctorate at the University of Minnesota.
More information on the Star Tribune "On Books" blog.
Brenda J. Child wins Labriola Center American Indian National Book Award
Posted byAlison Aten on 31 Mar 2015 | Tagged as: Authors, Awards, Native American
We're delighted to note that My Grandfather's Knocking Sticks: Ojibwe Family Life and Labor on the Reservation by Brenda J. Child has won the the seventh annual Labriola Center American Indian National Book Award.
Child uses her family's own powerful stories to tell a different kind of history–one that puts her reader's feet on the reservation. She shows how Ojibwe men and women on reservations around the Great Lakes sustained both their families and their cultural identity in the face of extreme prejudice and hardship.
Winners of the Labriola Center American Indian National Book Award cross multiple disciplines or fields of study, are relevant to contemporary North American Indian communities, and focus on American Indian Studies, modern tribal studies, modern biographies, tribal governments or federal Indian policy.
Dedicated in 1993, the Labriola National American Indian Data Center in the Arizona State University (ASU) Libraries is one of the only repositories within a public university library devoted to American Indian collections. The Labriola Center holds both primary and secondary sources on American Indians across North America. The Center's primary purpose is to promote a better understanding of American Indian language, culture, social, political and economic issues. The Labriola National American Indian Data Center has been endowed by Frank and Mary Labriola whose wish has been that "the Labriola Center be a source of education and pride for all Native Americans."
My Grandfather's Knocking Sticks is also a finalist for a Minnesota Book Award.
Mni Sota Makoce Wins 2014 Hognander Award
Posted byAlison Aten on 07 Mar 2014 | Tagged as: Authors, Awards, MHS Author in the News, MHS press, Native American
Photo credit: Laura Truett, The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library
We are delighted to announce that Mni Sota Makoce: The Land of the Dakota by Gwen Westerman and Bruce White is the winner of the 2014 Hognander Minnesota History Award.
The Hognander Minnesota History Award recognizes the most outstanding scholarly work related to Minnesota history published during the preceding two years. The award, funded by the Hognander Family Foundation, is presented every two years.
This award stems from the Hognander family's belief in the importance of studying and preserving history. As Joe Hognander notes, "We established this award because of our relationship with the Minnesota Historical Society. Its commitment to excellence is noteworthy in promoting scholarly research and writing. We hope this award will inspire more activity by recognizing and rewarding the finest work in the field."
Much of the focus on the Dakota people in Minnesota rests on the tragic events of the 1862 U.S.–Dakota War and the resulting exile that sent the majority of the Dakota to prisons and reservations beyond the state's boundaries. But the true depth of the devastation of removal cannot be understood without a closer examination of the history of the Dakota people and their deep cultural connection to the land that is Minnesota. Drawing on oral history interviews, archival work, and painstaking comparisons of Dakota, French, and English sources, Mni Sota Makoce tells the detailed history of the Dakota people in their traditional homelands for at least hundreds of years prior to exile.
Published by Minnesota Historical Society Press in 2012, the book went on to win the 2013 Minnesota Book Award in the Minnesota category last year.
Westerman and White will be honored for their latest achievement at the upcoming Book Awards Gala on April 5 at the Saint Paul Union Depot. Gwen Westerman is professor of English and Humanities at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Bruce White is author of We Are at Home: Pictures of the Ojibwe People.
Spring 2014 Titles
Posted byAlison Aten on 10 Jan 2014 | Tagged as: Authors, Children, Cooking, Fiction, Food, History, Literary, MHS press, Native American, Scandinavian Studies, Travel
Minnesota Historical Society Press Spring 2014 Titles
Augie's Secrets: The Minneapolis Mob and the King of the Hennepin Strip (Paperback, February 2014)
Neal Karlen
The Brides of Midsummer (First English Translation, February 2014)
Vilhelm Moberg
When I Was a Child: An Autobiographical Novel (February 2014)
Her Honor: Rosalie Wahl and the Minnesota Women's Movement (March 2014)
Lori Sturdevant
Keystones of the Stone Arch Bridge (April 2014)
Carolyn Ruff
Curiosity's Cats: Writers on Research (April 2014)
Edited by Bruce Joshua Miller
Conflicted Mission: Faith, Disputes, and Deception on the Dakota Frontier (April 2014)
Linda M. Clemmons
Hungry Johnny (May 2014)
Toys of the '50s, '60s, and '70s (May 2014)
Kate Roberts and Adam Scher
Scoop: Notes from a Small Ice Cream Shop (May 2014)
Smitten with Squash (July 2014)
Amanda Paa
Original Local by Heid E. Erdrich
Posted byAlison Aten on 21 Nov 2013 | Tagged as: Authors, Cooking, Event, Native American
Local foods have garnered much attention in recent years, but the concept is hardly new: indigenous peoples have always made the most of nature's gifts. Their menus were truly the "original local," celebrated here in 135 home-tested recipes paired with stories from tribal activists, food researchers, families, and chefs.
Heid E. Erdrich shares family and community recipes in her new cookbook, Original Local: Indigenous Foods, Stories, and Recipes from the Upper Midwest.
Join us tomorrow, Friday, November 22, at 7 pm at St. Paul's Episcopal Church (1917 Logan Avenue South) in Minneapolis at the book launch hosted by Birchbark Books to sample recipes from the book prepared by Chef Jason Champagne.
Click here for more info, recipes, and interviews with Heid!
Why is there so much concern about mascots?
Posted byAlison Aten on 07 Nov 2013 | Tagged as: Book Excerpt, Native American
In light of today's protest to eliminate the use of Native mascots in Minneapolis before the Minnesota vs. Washington football game, here is an excerpt from Anton Treuer's book, Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask.
Listen to Treuer talk about the issue last year on NPR's Tell Me More.
Not all Indians find the use of Indians or Indian imagery by sports teams offensive, but many do. They view nonnative people dressed as Indians, doing a "tomahawk chop," or singing fake Indian songs as a mockery of their culture and history. Those opposed to the use of Indians as mascots usually point out that most people would not tolerate white sports fans dressed up in fake Afros singing mock African songs for a sports team using a stereotype of black people as a mascot. The protest against using nonnative racial groups as mascots has been so overwhelming that the practice was universally abandoned. In Red Wing (Minnesota), in 2008 and 2009, sixty to seventy white students dressed in low-slung pants and sports jerseys and flashed gang signs in a caricature of black culture the students called "Wigger Day." A lawsuit was filed that resulted in school officials actively discouraging and suppressing the custom, with some resistance from students. But similar caricatures of Indians in other places have often been widely defended by school officials and community members, even officially celebrated as part of the sports culture at the schools.
The two biggest defenses of Indian mascots are pretty weak. The first is the claim that "we are honoring Native Americans." If all Native Americans felt honored, then that argument would bear some weight, but most do not feel honored. And even if a home team truly believes it is honoring Indians through its mascot, opposing teams caricature and abuse each other's mascots in the name of team spirit. Thus, other teams in the same conference with a team that has a native mascot will most definitely not be honoring them.
Nonnative people also justify the practice by pointing to Indians who use Indian mascots for teams, such as the Red Lake Warriors. The difference is that the Indians at Red Lake are the descendants of warriors, so their use of that image or name is not a mockery. However, I never miss a chance to encourage Red Lake and other native schools to change their mascots to something more benign so that it does not confuse others about appropriate mascots. The bottom line is that if any mascot is truly offensive to a large percentage of the population, then that mascot should go. Stick to lions, tigers, and bears. Human beings will never feel dishonored by that.
Family Fun Day at Mille Lacs Indian Museum Tomorrow!
Posted byAlison Aten on 18 Oct 2013 | Tagged as: Children, Event, Native American
Visit Mille Lacs Indian Museum for a day of fun and games tomorrow! Try and shoot goals with lacrosse sticks, a game that's growing in popularity today but which has roots in American Indian history. Author Art Coulson and Robert DesJarlait will talk about and sign copies of thier book The Creator's Game, a children's story about lacrosse. Marcie Rendon will talk about and sign her book Powwow Summer, which follows a family as they travel along the powwow trail. And join artist Cheryl Minnema (Ojibwe Shoulder Bag Kit) as she helps young visitors decorate Ojibwe shoulder bags to take home. Visit with the authors from 1 to 2 p.m., then join a drum and dance demonstration at 2:30 p.m. This event is free and does not include museum admission.
Circles of Tradition Dakota/Ojibwe Family Day 9/28
Posted byAlison Aten on 27 Sep 2013 | Tagged as: Authors, Children, Event, Native American
Enjoy free admission on Saturday September 28 from 12 noon to 4:00 pm at the Minnesota History Center during Circles of Tradition Dakota/Ojibwe Family Day featuring speakers and artists from the Dakota and Ojibwe communities who will share traditions of their rich and vibrant history. Visitors can enjoy music, dancing, demonstrations, displays, language exchange, games and art activities.
Powwow Summer authors Marcie Rendon and Cheryl Walsh Bellville will share their book, see details, below.
This program is offered in conjunction with the Smithsonian Museums Day Live! -an annual free admission event.
Levels 1 & 4
Ojibwe and Dakota artifacts from the Minnesota Historical Society's collections
Beadwork demo with Cheryl Minnema (Waabaanakwadookwe), a member of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe (Her work is featured in the Ojibwe Shoulder Bag Kit!)
Play "Splat" and learn Dakota words and place names with Dakota Wicohan (Noon, 1:00, 2:00 pm)
Decorate a fabric shoulder bag inspired by the designs and symbols of traditional Ojibwe bandolier bags
Traditional Dakota songs, dancing, and drumming with Cansa'yapi Oyate (Redwood People) featuring the Lucio Family Dance Troupe (12:30 & 3:00 pm)
Birchbark demo with artist Pat Kruse, a member of the Red Cliff Band of Ojibwe
In Focus: Photography display created by the History Center's American Indian Teen Portrait Project
Beadwork demo with Walter LaBatte, an enrolled member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate
Play "Name that Otunwe" (city or place) with Jewell Arcoren (Sisseton/Sicangu) an enrolled member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Sioux Tribe
Inside the Then Now Wow Exhibit, Level 3
Dogsled adventures on the North Shore with History Player John Beargrease, an Ojibwe mail carrier (Noon, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 pm on the Paul Bunyan stage)
Ask the Curator!
Learn about the Society's collection of Dakota and Ojibwe artifacts with independent curator, Marcia Anderson. (1:00-3:00 pm)
Powwow Summer authors Marcie Rendon and Cheryl Walsh Bellville share photos and stories from their book (1:30 &2:30 pm on the Paul Bunyan stage)


text:
TheatreWorks raises 'Voices' with…
TheatreWorks raises 'Voices' with election-year programming
TheatreWorks Silicon Valley will stream a recording of its 2018 production of 'Hold These Truths' starring Joel de la Fuente (pictured) as part of "TheatreWorks: Voices of Democracy,' an online initiative advocating for voting and racial justice. Streaming access for 'Hold These Truths' will be offered through Election Day Nov. 3. (Photo by Kevin Berne)
By Joanne Engelhardt | For The Daily News
How better to entice stuck-at-home theatergoers to get involved in the upcoming election than by offering a menu of digital theatrical experiences collectively called "Voices of Democracy."
TheatreWorks Silicon Valley opened "Voices" this week as a way to encourage its audiences to "get out to vote and to stand up for racial justice," explains TheatreWorks' new artistic director Tim Bond.
"Voices" will feature presentations of both plays and poems read by local actors as well as statements that "shine a light on underrepresented American voices speaking out about the timely and pressing issues during this election year," Bond emphasizes. He anticipates releasing one work a week up to election week and beyond.
Bond took over for TheatreWorks' longtime artistic director Robert Kelley in March, but says he actually didn't take on full responsibility until July—"just three months ago, smack in the middle of the pandemic."
Before coming to TheatreWorks, Bond was a professor at the University of Washington's School of Drama for four years and also was in charge of its MSA acting program. "But I missed being with a community, being in a community," he says.
"I've always been drawn to new works festivals like TheatreWorks,' which have incubated new works and nursed them along, sometimes all the way to Broadway," Bond adds. "I was also impressed by the company's reputation for nontraditional casting. And it's a very well-managed theater company."
As to the pandemic, Bond says, "It has actually created new challenges for us that have forced us to embrace the digital world."
"Voices of Democracy" offers six separate presentations, all of which are streaming on different dates. Once each debuts, it will remain on the TheatreWorks website at least until the election.
The poem "Courage Rising" by Beau Sia began streaming Sept. 29. It is read by actors Aldo Billingslea, Roneet Aliza Rahamim, Khalia Davis, Jomar Tagatac, Rinabeth Apostol, Steven Flores, Juan Amador, Leigh Rondon-Davis and Phil Wong.
The second production, playwright Jeanne Sakata's "Hold These Truths," was set to begin on Oct. 6. "Truths" was first presented (and filmed) at TheatreWorks in 2018. Directed by Lisa Rothe, "Hold These Truths" is the story of a Japanese American who passionately defends his Constitutional rights against an unexpected adversary: his own country. It stars Joe de la Fuentes as the lead character, Gordon Hirabayaski, who refused to be relocated to a Japanese internment camp during World War II. "Truths" can be viewed for a $10-$100 sliding scale fee.
Langston Hughes' poem, "I, Too," read by Bond, was set to begin streaming Oct. 8.
The radio play "It Can't Happen Here" is slated to start its virtual run on Oct. 13. TheatreWorks is teaming up with Berkeley Repertory Theatre as a broadcast partner for this play on YouTube at 5p.m. Written in 1935 during the rise of fascism in Europe, Sinclair Lewis' darkly satirical story follows the ascent of a demagogue who becomes president of the United States by promising to return the country to greatness.
This time "It Can't Happen Here" will be presented as a radio play in four episodes. TheatreWorks joins a network of leading regional theatres including American Conservatory Theater, Arena Stage, La Jolla Playhouse and Roundabout Theatre Company and Jewel Theatre in Santa Cruz in co-presenting the audio drama free of charge.
"TheatreWorks began 50 years ago during a time of uncertainty in our nation's history and hope for a better world," says Bond. "Like today, everyday people were marching in the streets, making their voices heard and demanding more from their democracy. Great theater and great art can provoke thought, provide different points of view, open hearts and make us, as the late U.S. Representative John Lewis once said, 'stand up, speak up, speak out.'"
Next up on Oct. 15 is Robert Kelley's interview about racial justice with Tony-award winning Broadway actor (and TheatreWorks alum) James Monroe Iglehart. Bond says Kelley originally interviewed Iglehart several months ago, "but after the George Floyd shooting, I asked him to talk to James again." The interview incorporates both of these conversations.
Just before the election, starting on Oct. 30, a reading of another Langston Hughes poem, "Let America Be America Again," will be read by Billingslea. One more poem will be announced at a later date.
"My plans are to continue this initiative after the election with more virtual content continuing the 'Voices of Democracy' theme," Bond adds.
To learn more about all of these events, visit www.theatreworks.org or call 650-463-1960.
TheatreWorks
Joanne Engelhardt
Pets and Animals |
After sinkhole woes, the Oakland Zoo will reopen on Feb. 3
Motown musician Barrett Strong dies; he was a co-writer on many of the label's biggest hits
Music |
Hip-hop star Future and Friends bring 'One Big Party' to Oakland Arena


The Executive Secretary of Lake Chad Basin Commission, Sanusi Amran Abdullahi, has said over 30 million people living in and around the Lake Chad Basin may lose their sources of livelihood, if the prevailing negative effects of climate change in the region are not addressed quickly.
Abdullahi spoke in Abuja at the just-concluded 58th sessions of the Council of Ministers of the Lake Chad Basin Commission.
He urged member states to join hands in saving the region from climate change.
The Federal Government had expressed concerns over the receding waters in the Lake Chad Basin.


text:
The End of NATO? Macron Laments 'Brain Death' and Pushes for a European Military
EurasiaAnglo 5DefenseEU
By Joaquin Flores Last updated Nov 30, 2019
With less than a month until the next big NATO meeting, scheduled for the first week of December, France's Macron has jumped into public relations mode to prepare the public for some big changes on the horizon. Indeed, Macron's major interview with the Economist on November 7th on the question of the US's alleged wavering commitment to NATO is a stunning sign of the times.
Europe wants its own Army
Cutting through a lot of intentionally confusing messaging, is that France and Germany are just fine with any end to NATO because it helps justify the coming European Army – one that they want, and believe they need anyhow. It only happens to be part of the same reality that US hegemony, and its ability to finance NATO in turn, are coming to an end. In sounding more like a radical post-structuralist international relations theorist than a fiscally conservative leader of a capitalist democracy, Macron shocked the world when he stated in no uncertain terms that this period we are in marks the end of 'Western Hegemony'.
The real facts of motives behind big changes have an odd way of ultimately making themselves known for what they are at the end of the day. Often these are cloaked in the underlying framework of the politics of the time. Revealing these in the case of France and NATO can show some top-level word salad at play: justify independence not on the basis that being controlled isn't fair, but rather that those doing the controlling aren't doing it well enough and don't seem committed to it as much as they ought to be. Macron is doing this very well, and mirrors Trump's own discursive games.
Occupiers aren't doing their job – the End of Trilateralism
Imagine if you will a French argument against the Nazi occupation not because it placed Germany in control of France's fate, but rather on the basis that the Wehrmacht was decreasing its troop presence in France, or conversely appeared to be wavering on the Eastern Front, and as a consequence France was worried about Germany's commitment to the Reich. This is, in short, what Macron is arguing today regarding the US and NATO.
Imagine likewise, that the Wehrmacht said it was considering abandoning its occupation of France not because it had to move resources to the Eastern Front, but because France wasn't giving enough to the war effort. This is the crux of Trump's argument for public consumption.
Under any other prior historical iterations, the US's moves to reduce its NATO commitments to Western Europe would be hailed by progressives in the Democratic Party in the US as a step in the right direction. Yet now in this exciting time, one in which the US Empire is down-sizing and adjusting itself to its real force potential, progressives in the US are making geopolitical realism into a partisan issue: since the most obvious or observable stage is happening under a nominally conservative, Republican administration, it must therefore be a Democratic Party talking point to oppose this in principle.
The matter is of course deeper than this, and the Democratic Party's investment in the trilateralism (US + EU + Japan) of Rockefeller and Brzezinski has been at odds with the unilateralism of the neoconservatives. We will recall when President George W Bush attacked Iraq, it came not long after moves by the Iraqi government to do their oil dealings in Euros. The Europe-wide hatred for Bush's war on Iraq seemed to the politically naïve as an expression of social-democratic pacifism, but in reality was an expression of Europe's sovereign financial interests versus dollar hegemony. These questions really have not gone away.
When NATO came onto the stage, it was couched in terms of protecting Western Europe from the growth of the Soviet sphere of influence which the latter had won from its victory over Germany in WWII.
The idea that NATO was not a collaborative and mutual effort of freely-acting European states in defense of market freedoms and Western values, but instead more like a US led and sustained military occupation in Western Europe, in the past could be criticized as either Communist or even neo-Nazi propaganda. Against this view the entire media-academic industry was mobilized, assuring the public that all the European countries of NATO were members of their own accord and will: an outgrowth of the democratic mandate from the peoples of the member states, arrived at through fair parliamentary processes.
Macron still needs to make everyone look good
All this places Macron in an odd position. NATO is the military component of economic Atlanticism, but this transatlantic relationship experienced a major breach of trust in the years following the US market crash in 2007. This was because US based banks and government colluded to deceitfully push a significant portion of its liabilities onto the EU all the while claiming these were investments – who in turn placed an undue burden in PIIGS countries, in particular Greece. This all in turn has fueled a marked increase in Eurosceptic and 'exit' movements across the beleaguered EU.
Then on top of that, the Trump administration makes the EU's commitment to NATO a cornerstone of his Europe policy, along with a brewing trade war. These two are intimately connected.
And so Macron's apparent lamentations over the 'brain death' of NATO is quite revealing. In this, he refers to truths that everyone knew, but couldn't say: "NATO is essentially a military occupying force against European sovereignty – for the EU to be a geostrategic entity, it must be in control of its own military forces". This sounds like it could have been said by de Gaulle, even Pétain, and while the notion easily fits with Marine Le Pen's platform, the reality of France forces Macron to hold it.
Europe's not in love with Atlanticism
The problem is that even though transatlantic financial dealings have increasingly less to offer the EU, the US side of this equation needs to maintain the relationship and all the appearances and structures that go along with it, in order to leverage itself in any future potential dealings. In short, one way that the US believes it can hold onto things longer, or decrease the tempo at which they're losing them, is by keeping up appearances. And these appearances are more than just superficial – they are real existing financial obligations which in all reality do not work well for European institutions.
Macron has iterated the call for an EU army a number of times. But his statements in the economist represent a skillful if distorted way to couch the EU's real situation within the accepted discourse of our time: Atlanticism is good. This mirrors Trump's method and reasoning – and to be clear, it is not certain that Trump is very much committed to trans-Atlanticism, at least not in its present iteration.
Back in August, speaking on how isolating Russia is a mistake, Macron explained that "Western hegemony" is over. This leave us an interesting formula: Western hegemony is over, European regional hegemony must begin. This implies that Western hegemony had always meant Europe plus the US together. Without the US, there is no Western hegemony.
Trump's calls that EU countries increase its funding of NATO on the rationale that Europe isn't doing their share, could only have been to provoke a reaction from Europe to speak its own truth – 'we don't like NATO either' – and to justify the US's own eventual reorganization or dismantling of NATO. Like Imperial Japan told its puppet-state Manchukuo: it's only natural that you should pay for the cost of your own occupation.
If NATO member states no longer want to pay for their own occupation, then they will no longer get to enjoy it.
Macron masters Trump's Discursive Trap
Macron, likewise, plays a similar game – and his discourse is aimed at being acceptable to multiple audiences, who themselves have greatly divergent interests and positions.
The realists in the US, of which Trump is the most evident representative, know that the US simply cannot afford to continue with its NATO obligations. Underneath this is the fact that the US cannot offer Europe better deals than it can get elsewhere. The days of forcing Europe to work through the US through various ways, wherein using the US dollar as the primary transaction currency and the global reserve currency in the past meant that the US was middle-in to every deal. Those days are just about over. Rather than disclose that all this is about decreasing US influence, power, and wealth on the global scene, it is more prudent to make this about fairness – that the EU isn't doing its part.
And to wit, as we have said, for Macron's part of the dance – he knows he needs to keep the trans-Atlanticists happy, they still exert tremendous political control in Brussels and are interwoven into Europe's financial sector – the most important sector in capitalist Europe. There can be no doubt: Macron was the banking establishment's choice against Le Pen. The question as to whether he was some Manchurian candidate from beyond the financial sector's grasp, or whether there is some pro-European sovereigntist faction within the European side of this transatlantic financial sector, is a fascinating question for later investigation. But sufficed to say, those transatlantic deals aren't the best deals, but these institutions are using whatever influence and capital they still have to force a political position. Macron, nominally, wants to keep them happy.
Thus Macron's 'warnings' and 'lamentations' that the US under Trump has abandoned its NATO commitments in controlling Europe's military are anything but. These 'lamentations' will serve a perfect pretext for France and Germany to work together to organize a Europe-wide military force. In reality, this has been brewing for many years under the rubric of NATO command. In essence, all the structures are there, it is only necessary to remove US command from the structure and change some patches and flags.
In speaking to the Economist regarding NATO's Article V provision (in which NATO members must rally on the side of a NATO state if it is attacks and invokes the article), Macron seems to imply, in some twisted and round-about – really convoluted way – that he questions the US's commitment to NATO because of the way it abandoned its allies, the Kurds. This is doubly odd – the adventure in Syria was not a NATO operation, and it is Turkey, the force attacking Kurdish separatists in Syria, that is the NATO ally. Turkey is NATO's second largest army after the US.
Macron isn't wrong then to imply – what is NATO without the US and Turkey? It is the European Army. This is the view which both France and Germany enter into the December meeting with.
So while Trump hides that the US simply can't afford its empire anymore by blaming Europe for not doing its share, Macron hides that Europe's been pushing for its own army for years before Trump assumed office. Indeed, the EU's CSDP, known also as the European Defense Union, has been around in in developing form since 1999, the same year the currency was launched. This has been a part of the plan, it would seem, for quite some time.
Macron and Trump can't be faulted for the word salad they are serving: it's only a reflection of what's acceptable in our day. The US president and European leadership appear to agree that NATO's days are over. It seems the transatlantic financial institutions are the primary team expressing deep concern of this, and are looking to slow the process down by reversing the most overt policies of Trump by ousting him from the White House in 2020. Doing so could drag the process out for another decade, but doing so would be more painful and costly for everyone in avoiding the inevitable.
AnalysiseuEU ArmyFloresFranceMacronNATOTrump
Joaquin Flores 1850 posts 0 comments
Joaquin Flores is Editor-in-Chief of Fort Russ News, as well as the Director of the Belgrade based think-tank, the Center for Syncretic Studies. Educated at California State University, Los Angeles, in the field of International Relations, he previously served as Chief Negotiator and Internal Organizer in several jurisdictions for the SEIU labor union in California. Flores has twenty years experience in community, labor, and anti-war organizing. Flores has appeared regularly on Iran's 'PressTV' and Russia's 'RT' news to share his expert opinion and analysis on current geopolitical matters. As a Thought Leader, he has spoken publicly internationally at numerous forums, published in over 10 languages, his conceptual and ideological frameworks, approaches to branding and aesthetics have influenced others in his field.
Powerful and overwhelming: How do Russia's simplest and most lethal weapons work?
US sanctions freeze billions of dollars in Venezuelan assets, says Venezuelan minister
Pompeo Demands End to Maduro's 'Tyranny' as Guiado Leaves for Colombia for Further…