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For Miami, a new art project, complete with drama
By NPR
Outside the glittering new Perez Art Museum Miami, finishing touches were still being applied late last month to the spacious plazas and gardens surrounding the $220 million building. Next door to the art museum, a new science museum is also going up. When it's all complete, the 29-acre Museum Park will provide a focus and a gathering spot on Biscayne Bay for those who live in, work in and visit downtown Miami.
The Perez building, designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron, has been described, and often, as stunning. It's notable for its spare, rectangular lines and expanse of glass windows — the largest hurricane-impact-resistant glass windows in the world — and for the 70 hydroponic gardens hanging from every side. They were designed by French landscape artist Patrick Blanc, and they're self-watering.
"Each one of them … has a recirculating pump," says museum director Thom Collins. "So six to eight times a day it sends water to the top, and the water then drips down through the entire plant network."
Stepping inside the museum, one of the first things you notice are the views on all sides of the galleries — the downtown skyline, Key Biscayne and the turquoise bay. It's an unusual setup for an exhibition space, with all those windows.
'A Cultural And Social Hub' In The Offing
Collins comes to Miami after helping run contemporary art museums in New York and Cincinnati. Here, he's opening what amounts to a major new civic institution.
Not that Miami hasn't already become an international arts destination. For more than a decade, the Art Basel Miami Beach conclave has attracted exhibitors and collectors from around the world.
But for nearly 30 years, the city's old art museum was a little-visited space across the street from the county government center. It was a home for traveling exhibitions that only recently began building a permanent collection.
Several years ago, voters approved $100 million in bond funding to build the new museum. Private donors are expected to contribute $120 million.
Collins notes that the new museum's primary mission is educational — it plans to do outreach and hold classes for children and adults. But for those who live and visit here, the Perez has another mission.
"In a city like Miami, a museum can be a kind of cultural and social hub, quite apart from its function as an exhibition space and an educational space," he says.
Perez Art Museum Miami hopes to attract out-of-town visitors and locals alike with its traveling shows and its small but fast-growing permanent collection. Overhead in the entrance hall, for example, 60 small, handmade boats hang suspended from the ceiling — a flotilla Collins expects will resonate with many in Miami.
"[Artist] Hew Locke titled the piece For Those in Peril on the Sea," Collins says, "and of course there are multiple allusions in that title. But certainly one of them is to the migration suggested by these various vessels."
Another big exhibit, spread over several rooms, is a retrospective of Chinese artist and political dissident Ai Weiwei. Although he's currently not allowed to leave China, Collins says the artist created a special piece for the Miami exhibition — a labyrinth made out of stainless steel bicycle parts.
"One has to move through [it] to move into the second floor of the exhibition spaces," Collins says. "So it remains translucent; one can still see through the piece out to the bay."
Friction Over Money, And Over A Name
The opening of a beautiful new art museum in the heart of Miami is a significant achievement, but one that's not without controversy. This is a city that has spent a lot of money on big projects in recent years, often to the displeasure of taxpayers. That caused some friction for the museum.
Even more controversial was the decision to name the museum after developer Jorge Perez. He had contributed $35 million in cash and art to the project, but four board members resigned in protest.
Perez says he doesn't understand why, arguing that his contribution exceeded those made by others in Miami who have had institutions named after them.
"I think maybe the name Perez doesn't sound as familiar with all these other names," he suggests. "You have to remember this is the first Hispanic name in a major institution in this country."
Naming the museum after Perez also didn't sit well with some of Miami's private collectors, several of whom have opened their own exhibition spaces to the public. Many of them want nothing to do with the new center. Improving those relationships, says critic and columnist Tyler Green, may be the institution's biggest challenge.
"The museum does not have a major collection," Green emphasizes. "And museums build collections by building circles of collectors that eventually donate work and support their acquisition."
That's a challenge that may take years to accomplish. In the meantime, Perez Art Museum Miami will be working on that other mission — luring visitors and residents away from the beaches and clubs and into its shiny new home.


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text:
Q: How to insert one record into a table with an IDENTITY column Is it possible to insert only one record in one column on a table?
I have a table EMP_MASTERTBL with columns
MASTERID | USERID | EMPNO | LASTNAME | FIRSTNAME | REGION | COUNTRY | ENTITY | LOCATION | JOBTITLE

I need to add a new job title in one particular employee so I used this code/query
INSERT INTO EMP_MASTERTBL (MASTERID, JOBTITLE) VALUES ('7634', 'Manager')

But I got this error message

Cannot insert explicit value for identity column in table
  'EMP_MASTERTBL' when IDENTITY_INSERT is set to OFF.

I only need to add another job title to one particular employee. Employee can have multiple job titles.
Thank you.

A: In SQL Server Studio, run this command first before the INSERT statement. You must have ALTER permission on this table to run this.
SET IDENTITY_INSERT EMP_MASTERTBL ON;

A: don't put value to MASTERID because it will be automatically generated. try this:
INSERT INTO EMP_MASTERTBL (JOBTITLE) VALUES ('Manager')

A: It may not be possible especially when you have defined the columns as not null. The best way to add the title would be using the update statement like this: UPDATE EMP_MASTERTBL SET JOBTILE = 'Manager' WHERE USERID = 'EMPLOYEE'S_USERID';
NB: Avoid the quotes on userid if the userid is an integer.

A: SET IDENTITY_INSERT EMP_MASTERTBL ON;
GO
INSERT INTO EMP_MASTERTBL (MASTERID, JOBTITLE) VALUES ('7634', 'Manager')
GO
SET IDENTITY_INSERT EMP_MASTERTBL OFF;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Kat Vinson
Romance with smart women and the men who love them
The A.I. Who Loved Me (The Hive #1) by Alyssa Cole
November 1, 2020 November 1, 2020 katvinsondiverse, fiction, mf, romance, scifi
Alyssa Cole is a seriously diverse writer, in the sense that she writes so many different types of books. Contemporary romance, historical romance in different time periods, sci-fi romance, and she's even written a psychological thriller. I personally find this really admirable.
But on to the book I'm reviewing. The A.I. Who Loved Me, the sci-fi romance I mentioned, is a very unusual book, which I'll get to later. It's set in the not-too-distant future where artificial intelligence is fully integrated into home automation. All appliances have AI capabilities and each home has a built-in chat-bot, basically. The systems can detect emotional and physical traits in the home's inhabitants and so on.
Trinity lives alone in her apartment, recovering from some sort of trauma. She has a therapist she sees ("sees"—she talks to her through the microphone and speaker built in to her house, rather than going anywhere). She also has a couple of good friends who come over, and she chats with her home AI, Penny, quite a bit. She has a fear of the elevator, which is related to the attack she experienced. But still, she thinks she's doing okay. Then her older neighbor's hot nephew moves in. Li Wei is socially awkward but infinitely appealing.
I mentioned above that this is an unusual book, and it's not because of the story. The story is partially told through Trinity's counseling transcripts, transcripts of other events, some unusual structured conversations Li Wei has with people, although the rest of the book is regular narrative through Trinity and eventually Li Wei.
The plot is definitely the book's strength, with lots of questions (What happened to Trinity? Why is Li Wei so weird? etc.) that eventually get answered. It's clear from the beginning that Trinity's employer is maybe an evil far-reaching corporation-type entity, and we finally understand at the end.
If you are interested in AI and how it's really going to interact with us in the future, this book shows one possibility. Plus there's a nice romance to go along with it. Trinity and LI Wei are both likable characters, and you want to see them figure things out. I recommend this for fans of sci-fi romance in general.
Get a Life, Chloe Brown (The Brown Sisters #1) by Talia Hibbert
September 20, 2020 September 20, 2020 katvinsoncontemporary, diverse, fiction, mf, romance
There's a lot of deserved buzz around this enemies-to-lovers story. It's set in England and features a black woman suffering from chronic pain and white troubled artist working as a building superintendent, and it's definitely interesting and different.
Chloe is a web designer who comes from a rich family and has just moved out of her parents mansion as part of a life-improvement venture. After a near-death experience, she made a list of all the things she should do to make her life better. Things like riding a motorcycle, having a fun, drunken night out, and traveling the world with nothing but hand luggage.
Although she and Red, the building's superintendent, constantly butt heads, she has sneakily admired him painting while shirtless. After he helps her down from an ill-advised rescue of a cat in a tree, she discovers that he needs a website for his art. She decides he can help her with some of her list, so they agree to a trade: she'll do the site for free if he helps her "get a life" via her list.
Gradually they get to know each other and discover their mutual attraction, and things go from there. Red is a really nice guy, even though I didn't find him as appealing as Chloe did, but that's fine for the story. Chloe finds him very attractive, and their antics show he feels quite the same.
Overall, this is a good story featuring at least one character who's typically underrepresented in romance (though things are starting to change). If you're looking for a different but hot story, try this one out.
Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev
August 16, 2020 October 8, 2020 katvinsoncontemporary, diverse, fiction, mf, romance
This is a followup to last year's Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors, featuring Trisha's cousin, Ashna.
Ashna wants to save the restaurant she inherited from her father, Curried Dreams. Her friend is in TV and convinces her to be on a cooking-with-celebrities show. She has no idea who she'll be paired with, but it turns out to be Rico, who is both her ex-boyfriend (from high school) and a world-renowned, just-retired soccer player. Unbeknownst to Ashna, Rico arranged to be her partner in an attempt to provide some closure to their relationship and prove to himself (and her) that he's over her. Instead, they become fan favorites and the sexual tension between them is strong throughout the book, despite the fact that Ashna pretends to not know him, which annoys Rico. The further they get in the competition, the tenser things get between them, in all ways.
Ashna has a lot of other stuff going on, too. She's still trying to manage the restaurant, and then her somewhat estranged mom shows back up. The two of them have a very complicated relationship due to the fact that her mom, Shobi, basically left her behind with Ashna's aunt and uncle to take care of her, while she spent her time in India working on women's rights. She is about to receive the Padma Shri, which is an Indian national medal given for distinguished service. Shobi is an important character in the book and has a few point of view chapters, even though it's mostly Ashna's story. Ashna's never forgiven Shobi for abandoning her, but she learns that there is more to that complicated story.
The story is told mostly in present time, though there are several important flashbacks to Ashna and Rico's early days and to Shobi's, as well. It's told from three points of view: Ashna, Rico, and a little from Shobi. Despite the intense sexual tension throughout the book, the heat level is lower than I expected, given Dev's previous books.
Overall, this was a good novel with lots of angst and false beliefs to overcome. If you've enjoyed Dev's earlier novels, you'll definitely like this one.
Once Ghosted, Twice Shy (Reluctant Royals) by Alyssa Cole
July 5, 2020 August 16, 2020 katvinsoncontemporary, diverse, ff, fiction, romance
This novella features Likotsi, Prince Thabiso's no-nonsense assistant, who we met in A Princess in Theory. The implication in that book was that she was maybe a bit of a player, but we also know something happened to/with her while she and Thabiso were in New York City. This book tells us what, as well as rights thing.
At the beginning of the book, Likotsi is in New York and on vacation and has a plan for the day, in the form of a list. She's going to visit all the places she visited last spring with Fab, a woman who she'd fallen hard for in just a few dates. A woman who abruptly and without explanation cut off contact. Likotsi's hope is that by visiting these places, she can form new memories that will replace those she had involving Fab, and can move on.
When they run into each other on the subway, that plan is foiled. Fab invites her to go for tea. Likotsi barely says yes, but she thinks maybe she can find out why she was unceremoniously dumped months earlier. They hang out and begin making new memories in new places, which is driving Likotsi crazy, even though she can't step away. And then, Fab reveals to the reader why she ended things. It's a while longer before she tells Likotsi, but when she does, they are finally able to come to an understanding. And a plan for the future.
This was my first true ff romance, but I think I picked a good one—I love Cole because she writes great characters, and this one met those expectations perfectly.
Wrong to Need You (Forbidden Hearts #2) by Alisha Rai
June 21, 2020 June 21, 2020 katvinsoncontemporary, diverse, mf, romance
Wrong to Need You is the second book in the Forbidden Hearts series, which deals with the Kane and the Chandler families and their tangled and troubled history. Sadia Ahmed is Paul Kane's widow (she never changed her name—yay!), which makes Jackson Kane her brother-in-law. That makes for a slightly awkward pairing for sure, which both characters are fully aware of.
Sadia runs Kane's, the family cafe that Paul ran before he died. She also works as a bartender for extra money, because the cafe isn't doing great. She doesn't love owning and running it. She's been admiring a stranger who's been coming into the bar for a while. He's buff and has nice hands, which she thinks is weird of her to notice, but I don't. So she's shocked when she finds out it's none other than Jackson, her long-lost brother-in-law. He disappeared ten years earlier after being cleared as a suspect in an arson incident that resulted in the Chandler's grocery store burning down. But it turns out things are pretty complicated (as you'd expect in a Rai book).
Sadia's long-time cook has left the cafe and she's desperately in need of a chef. As soon as he learns that, Jackson sort of forces his way into the job (not in a bad way). She's hesitant but agrees for one day, which turns into a longer-term-but-still-temporary situation. Turns out he's a chef (who knew? Not any of his relatives). Then she, against her better judgment, offers to let him stay in her garage apartment so he's not stuck in a hotel for the short time he's in town. Given who wrote this book, you can guess what comes next—some hot scenes. But again, it's not all that simple. When Jackson learns something shocking about Paul, he's hurt and his family troubles get stirred up. And when Sadia learns the same secret, it freaks her out, too.
One other aspect of the book that's important is Sadia's six-year-old, Kareem. He quickly forms an attachment to Uncle Jackson and both Sadia and Jackson want that relationship to continue. But as far as the two of them are concerned, they're both certain they're wrong for each other. As it turns out, that's not the case. They just have to deal with lots of emotional turmoil to realize it's okay, and even that dead Paul is probably okay with it, too.
If you like lots of angst, complicated family relationships, and steamy love scenes, you will enjoy Wrong to Need You*. Check it out.
*One tiny caveat. The family thing with the Kanes and Chandlers is seriously complicated. I had forgotten most of it since reading the first book, which left me going, Who? What? Huh? sometimes, so I'd recommend reading Book 1 not long before reading this one.
The Matchmaker's List by Sonya Lalli
June 7, 2020 June 7, 2020 katvinsoncontemporary, diverse, fiction, mf, nongenre
The premise of this book is simple: Raina, a half-Indian 29-year-old Canadian, has promised her (Indian) grandmother, who raised her, that she will agree to be set up on dates if she isn't married by 30. Everyone remotely familiar with Indian culture will understand that this is a typical situation for women in their late 20s. Raina's grandmother, Nani, jumps the gun a bit and starts harassing her early, giving her a list of suitable Indian men for her to contact and even setting up a meeting herself. Raina wants to find someone on her own, but meets some of these men, leading to some pretty funny scenes. To make matters worse, Raina's best friend is engaged to a perfect guy, and she doesn't seem to understand Raina's situation.
There is actually a lot going on in the book. It shows how Indian culture operates, even in Canada, and how much unfair pressure gets put on women. Raina tries to be a dutiful granddaughter but she's a strong, modern woman who doesn't think that the only thing she's good for is marrying and reproducing. She has a successful career in banking and works hard and a lot, and in many ways she doesn't have time to date. But even more significant is her ex-boyfriend, who she's very hung-up on. She thinks they might have a chance and doesn't want to throw that away by settling for someone just for the sake of getting married. So the book deals a lot with the psychology of trying to please one conservative (but evolving) culture while living in an ostensibly more modern one.
I really liked the story, although there are some things that happen in the second half that I didn't love. Raina allows Nani to think something about her that isn't true, and Raina lets that little lie go on long enough that it hurts people. That kind of bugged me. This isn't a romance even though it is a story about love, partially because it's impossible to tell who'll she'll end up with (even though any reader would guess that she'd end up with somebody). I have to admit I felt a little unmoored by this because I wasn't sure who to care about besides Raina and her family and friends. What guy should I root for? I had no idea. And the romance with the guy she does finally end up with felt a little forced. I didn't really see their attraction build like I would have liked. Though to be fair, I did really like the guy (much better than the ones she passed on!).
Despite having those qualms with the story, I think Raina herself is a wonderfully complex and likable character. The other main characters (primarily her friend Shay, Nani) are also interesting and well-depicted. There's some good conflict with both of them that felt very realistic and it was satisfying to see it resolved.
In summary, if you're curious about/interested in Indian culture in Canada and America, this will definitely educate you while keeping you entertained with a good story. I imagine it's probably also especially popular with any second-generation+ immigrants who have to deal with two worlds the way Raina does. It can't be easy.
The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai
November 3, 2019 October 30, 2019 katvinsoncontemporary, diverse, fiction, mf, romance
Okay, so it took me a little longer than a week or two to get to this. Life is very busy at the moment. Regardless, I was looking forward to reading this one as I've enjoyed Rai's other books. It didn't disappoint. Another book with a strong heroine and a sympathetic hero.
Rhiannon runs one of America's major dating apps. She is a pretty hard person for a variety of reasons. She's been burned pretty bad by love, in a way that also impacted her career, so it was double-devastating. But she's come out of it a Winner. After a hookup that was supposed to lead to a second date but instead led to her being ghosted, she's shocked to see the contemptible ghoster himself at a large dating app conference. She vows to not give him the time of day, but then finds out he's the unofficial face of Matchmaker, an old dating site that Rhiannon is interested in buying. Then she ends up having to share an interview spot with him.
For his part, Samson does have a very good reason for ghosting her. He tried to get in touch with her after the fact, but she'd blocked him already. So he's excited to see her at the conference. One of his roles with Matchmaker is to "find true love" through the site by means of going on several (filmed and aired) dates with matches the site suggests. He's not just a public face for the site, but he's also the owner's nephew, so he has more than a passing interest in things going well. After a terrible date, where he makes a total fool of himself, he convinces Rhiannon to do a little dating lesson series with him, also filmed. The premise is that as the owner of Crush, she knows something about dating and can teach Samson.
Their chemistry is as good as it was during their hookup and Samson does manage to tell Rhiannon why he ghosted her. She is tempted to forgive him but still isn't ready to risk her heart. Still, they decide to have a temporary casual relationship that goes very well. Then Rhiannon gets an opportunity to make an offer for Matchmaker, along with several other potential buyers. They all have to go to Samson's aunt's house to make their competing offers over a couple days. Rhiannon ends up writing Samson off after making an assumption about something during the bidding process and that constitutes the dark moment that tears them apart.
There's a lot to love about this book: characters of color, genuinely strong women, a believable nice guy, a healthy dose of feminist sensibilities, the pull on heartstrings. It's also pretty hot, like you'd expect from Rai. The main characters were complicated and relatable. I did feel like Rhiannon overacted a teeny tiny bit regarding the assumption she made about Samson when they were at his aunt's house. I mean, she's set up as pretty damaged so it's not inconceivable. But still, when they got past it, I was happy.
Overall, this is a good one for fans of steamy contemporary, especially if you like something a little different from the standard white characters. Fans of Rai will especially love it.
The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
August 4, 2019 August 4, 2019 katvinsoncontemporary, diverse, fiction, mf, romance
This is a followup to Hoang's first book, The Kiss Quotient, which I liked and reviewed. The Bride Test feature's Khai, the cousin of Michael from The Kiss Quotient. Khai's the other character from that book who's on the autism spectrum.
I liked Esme, the heroine, from the beginning—she's hardworking and unpretentious, unlike all the other women Khai's mother is trying to pick from to be his future bride. That's the setup—she's gone to Vietnam to find a wife for him, unbeknownst to him. Esme's cleaning the hotel bathroom across from the room Khai's mom has reserved for interviewing the candidates. After not finding anyone, she "interviews" Esme and finds her suitable. Esme's current life isn't amazing and she thinks that if she could get to America, she'd have a greater chance of making it that way. So she agrees to a trial run over the summer and leaves behind her mom, grandma, and young daughter. (I have to say that if I hadn't known it was real, I would have been screaming, "No! Don't do it! It's a trap!" But that's the comfort of reading a romance—nothing truly awful happens, at least not to the main characters in the course of the novel.)
I have to admit that Khai was harder to like. Now, I'm sure this is partly to do with the fact that I couldn't really connect with him emotionally, perhaps due to his slightly stunted (but not entirely absent) emotions. But as the story proceeded, I found him more sympathetic. And by the end it was clear that he had grown at least a little (though it did take some time).
Khai's mom moves Esme into Khai's house with little warning, basically. She does explain the situation to him and he vows to stay away from whoever this girl is. But of course, once he sees her, she's beautiful and he can't stop thinking about her. For her part, Esme likes Khai despite his often odd behavior. She works in Khai's mom's restaurant and starts taking adult education classes. That storyline actually becomes important later, which I appreciated. Esme turns out to have a lot more to her than anyone (including Khai's mom) expected.
If you liked the first book, you'll probably like this one. As a side note, if you like reading about weddings, you'll like it, as well—Khai and Esme go to a bunch. If you like heroes you have to warm up to, and admirable heroines, you should give it a try.
A Princess in Theory (Reluctant Royals #1) by Alyssa Cole
June 30, 2019 June 30, 2019 katvinsoncontemporary, diverse, fiction, mf, romance
I reviewed A Duke by Default—the first in this series—a couple months ago, and now I've read the first. It was great to get to know Portia as she was Before, since in Duke we learned she was trying to improve herself, but we never saw exactly from what. This book shows us what Ledi has to put up with in Portia. Not that that's the focus of the book, but the dark moment is sort of enabled by Portia (though of course it's the hero's fault).
Ledi is a grad student in epidemiology who works very hard (probably harder than everyone around her since she's both female and black…). Because she was a foster kid after her parents died when she was very young, she has no family and no money. So she also has to work as a waitress to bring in some cash. She's been getting these stupid scam emails from someone named Likotsi from Thesolo, a supposed small country in Africa, that insist she return to Thesolo and take her rightful place as the prince's wife.
Thabiso is the prince in the email and he and Thesolo are as real as can be. He's kind of an ass in the beginning, with his personal assistant, Likotsi (writer of the emails), sort of acting as his conscience. He's not evil or anything extreme, but he's absolutely rich and entitled. When he finds Ledi at work, he spontaneously decides to take the place of a new hire she is supposed to train, in order to get to know her a little. Anyone who's ever worked in a restaurant will know that this won't go well (a guy who's never lifted a finger serving people… yeah, right). It goes even worse than you'd expect, which makes for even better reading. So then he moves into the apartment across from her (Likotsi rightly points out that this is stalkery behavior, but he doesn't care).
With him across the hall from her, he gradually breaks down her defenses and they become friends and more than friends until everything comes crashing down, leaving Ledi feeling like the biggest fool and Thabiso like a real asshole (deserved).
Ledi is an awesome character—I love how hardworking she is, but more importantly she's very smart. Of course she has trust issues, since she aged out of the foster system without being adopted. So this is her primary growth—learning to trust people. Thabiso's not a bad guy, even in the beginning, but especially by the end. He's been enlightened about how real people live and he realizes how badly he damaged Ledi by lying to her for so long.
The only little quibble I had with the book was that when Thabiso convinces Ledi to go to Thesolo with the promise of an epidemiology practicum, I don't think she would have gone without Portia knowing about it because I don't think she'd trust him to not be tricking her into going. A small thing.
Anyway, I really enjoyed this book. Cole's a great writer and she actually has real knowledge about science—enough to make authentic references to Ledi's work and even crack a joke here and there. Good stuff.
Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev
I don't think you can be a fan of romance and not also love Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (like I even needed to name the author, right?). Dev's new standalone novel gives a big nod to that novel, without being at all derivative. First off, Dev switches the roles—in her novel, Trisha, the heroine, is the "snob" while DJ is the one she disses early on.
Trisha is a talented neurosurgeon who has to deliver very mixed news to a patient named Emma—she can remove the tumor that will save Emma's life but not without causing her to lose her sight. This is devastating enough, but Emma's also a visual artist, making it doubly bad. Trisha's got an overbearing family who she feels like has shunned her (especially her father) because of something that happened a long time before. Her brother is running for a political office in California and the whole family is focused on supporting him, and Trisha is trying to get back in her family's good graces. She attends an event at her parents' house, where she encounters the event chef and manages to insult him.
DJ can't believe he actually overhears this woman referring to him as "the hired help." He's a highly-trained (and Paris-trained, at that) chef who's just back in San Francisco because his little sister is facing brain cancer. He doesn't expect to see the woman again, so he and Trisha are both shocked to run into each other in Emma's hospital room.
Unsurprisingly, they clash despite each being very attracted to the other. DJ keeps his attraction pretty under control, but Trisha struggles a bit more, constantly putting her foot in her mouth and insulting him over and over again. Then she spontaneously decides to admit her attraction to DJ, which goes over very, very badly. (It's a great scene that perfectly captures the awkwardness and feeling of the parallel scene in Austen's book.) And there's a baddie named Julia Wickham who worms her way into DJ's world, nearly disrupting everything.
The sexual tension between Trisha and DJ is great. And Dev is a talented writer, with her strong dialogue and descriptions. There was one thing that bugged me, though, that I feel like mentioning. The way Trisha's family dealt with the situation with Julia and what she did—which isn't revealed until later in the book—made me uncomfortable. There's even a line about how releasing the details would set women's rights back a hundred years—I didn't agree with that at all. It was actually pretty messed up and Julia was clearly the bad guy there. However this line comes from one of the characters, and I don't have to agree with everything they say or do.
Anyway, there is quite a bit going on in Trisha's life. DJ's busy too, but most of his non-Trisha time is spent with Emma, who also is Trisha's concern. So this is definitely Trisha's book. It's also her most "American" book, with very little time spent in India (all of it's in flashbacks, too). Still, if you've liked Dev's other books or you enjoy reading about complex family dynamics, you'll probably like this one, too.
The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory
January 6, 2019 January 6, 2019 katvinsoncontemporary, diverse, fiction, mf, romance
I was looking forward to reading this book, Guillory's next after The Wedding Date. This one also features a black heroine, but this time the hero is Latino.
I really liked the overall story here—Nik (short for Nikole) is proposed to on the Jumbotron at a Dodgers game by her boyfriend of just a few months, who she doesn't even like that much. In front of everyone, she turns him down. Then she's rescued by Carlos and his sister and from there Nik and Carlos develop a relationship. I liked both of the characters and found them somewhat relatable. She's a successful freelance writer and he's a pediatrician. The other characters in the book were also good. Nik has two close friends and her ex (the proposer) is an amusing total loser. Carlos has a friend but his family is huge in his life.
Despite all that, I didn't love the book. It wasn't bad by any means and I never considered not finishing it, but some of the dialogue fell flat for me. Some of the humor did as well—I did think there were funny parts in the book but I got the feeling I didn't find them as funny as I was supposed to. Also, in the beginning, they were each unsure if the other liked them despite what I considered blatant signs that they did, which irked me. I just feel like this book was pushed out a little before it was ready. In my humble opinion.
Despite how I felt, many people will probably enjoy this book. And it's definitely great to see some brown characters hitting the mainstream. In this case neither of the main characters is white, which is definitely cool.
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
December 2, 2018 December 2, 2018 katvinsoncontemporary, diverse, fiction, mf, romance
The Kiss Quotient is an unusual romance with its heroine being on the autism spectrum and a hero who's half Swedish and half Vietnamese (though culturally more Vietnamese-American since his Swedish father is out of the picture and his entire extended family is through his mom). So double bonus points for diversity. But does it work?
Yep, it does. They're both great characters, though Stella's my favorite. The premise is that Stella's mom is pressuring her to get married and start having kids since she's at the ripe old age of thirty (I hate biology). Stella isn't opposed to the idea of kids, but relationships terrify her. She has mild touch aversion and sex is nothing but torture for her. But she decides her mom is right and the only way she can possibly have a relationship is if she gets better at sex. She needs practice. So she hires an escort. Obviously.
Okay, ignoring the fact that I don't think it's that easy to hire one who will assume sleeping with you is the primary purpose (though maybe it is—I wouldn't know), this is a great premise. So Stella finds Michael and she explains her situation, which weirds him out at first, but then he goes along with it. Still, he's baffled that she can't just find a guy the normal way because she's beautiful. But things don't go well on their first practice session because Stella freezes up.
Michael usually has a limit of one night with a client, but he ultimately agrees to more lessons with Stella because he's worried about how other escorts might treat her. They might not be as gentle and understanding as he is. Because although he doesn't know she's on the spectrum, he instinctively senses how to deal with her due to have an autistic cousin.
Michael breaks more of his own rules with her and soon enough they're in an actual practice relationship because that made more sense to both of them in terms of useful lessons. She meets his family and that doesn't go well at all due to her lack of social awareness and certain other concerns she has (it's one of those things that's funny and sad at the same time).
The problem is that each of them knows this is practice and even though they've fallen for each other, they assume everything's fake (except their own feelings, of course). Stella knows Michael will not want her when he finds out she's autistic and he is convinced that she won't want him when he founds out what a douche his father is (assuming she'll guess he'll end up being the same).
The resolution is interesting and satisfying to watch as the book is well-plotted. The characters are complex and surprise you at times, but in ways that make sense. There is quite a bit of steam (this is the point of the practice, after all), but most of the encounters go awry in ways that are again a little funny and a little sad. It's just that you know Stella is into it but her issues keep her from letting go. Fortunately, Michael's a good guy. And ultimately, things do get better.
Overall, I really liked this book. It's great to see the kind of characters that don't populate many romances presented as real, complex people. I'm looking forward to Hoang's next book.
A Bogie in the Boat (Linx & Bogie Mysteries #2) by Elizabeth Hunter
November 11, 2018 November 11, 2018 katvinsoncontemporary, diverse, fiction, mystery
Elizabeth Hunter was one of the keynote speakers at Emerald City Writers Conference a couple weeks ago. I posted previously a little about her speech, which I enjoyed, but now I'm going to review the free book we all got from her (yay, free book!). A Bogie in the Boat is the second in a series that's not really a romance, thought there is a romance in it. (I'm still including it here because Hunter does write romance, too.) Linx is a young urban artist in the LA area (she does large murals and got in trouble in the past for graffiti). She also is a medium and has one ghost named Frank attached to her, a detective who was killed on the job in the 1950s. Her mom and grandma (nan) are both also mediums. Otherwise everything's normal. So that's the basic world setup.
In this book, a neighbor discovers a dead body and comes to tell Linx's nan about it, but she's out so Linx herself goes to see the body and call the police. This is how she ends up with another ghost attached to her, something that hasn't happened before. It's always just been Frank. She doesn't particularly want this new ghost, who doesn't remember how he died, so now she has to help solve his murder. Enter (the living) Detective Lee, who turns out to be a very attractive Korean-American guy with impressive arms. Intrigue and mild romance ensue.
I should mention that Linx's best friend is Raul, whose grandmother is Haitian if I remember correctly. Hunter was brought to the conference this year (theme: diversity) because her books are full of people of color, just like they should be when they're set in LA. Of course, this isn't an issue book by any means—it's just a fun little novella about a crime-solving medium/artist in a realistic setting.
I enjoyed it and will be looking for Hunter's other books.
Dr. Strange Beard (Winston Brothers #5) by Penny Reid
September 9, 2018 katvinsoncontemporary, diverse, fiction, mf, romance, small-town
At 26, Roscoe Winston is the youngest of the Winston clan and a vet(erinarian) in Nashville. We've also seen him to be a bit of a flirt in previous books. We come to learn why he's that way, and how he'd had his heart broken in high school by Simone Payton.
Simone's a cool chick—she's currently working as an undercover FBI agent even though that's not really her calling (which is in a research lab). It's a temporary assignment. There's been a string of murders in East Tennessee that the FBI knows are being perpetrated by the president of the biker club the Winstons' father is in. The fact that Simone's from there gets her assigned to the case. She's working at the diner her mom runs in Green Valley. Simone is focused on her career and believes that the whole idea of love is stupid. She doesn't like feelings and never has. But unfortunately for her feelings, her assignment brings her in contact with Roscoe.
Roscoe, for his part, isn't happy to see her because she rejected him in high school after they'd been best friends forever, and the memories still pain him. He has a fantastic memory, so he relives the whole rejection any time he sees her. And he keeps seeing her pop up inexplicably everywhere he goes.
What Roscoe doesn't know is that she's trying to protect him and break the case at the same time. He's become important because his father wants to talk to him for some reason. And Simone can't let that just happen without inserting herself.
Dr. Strange Beard does start off a little slow, I have to admit. Simone in particular was hard to get into because she's very logical and tries to deny emotion. But by a quarter in, it started to pick up more and then got good—and Simone is great. Roscoe's sweet and different from his brothers. The book leans a bit toward romantic suspense, especially in the second half, which isn't surprising given Simone's profession. The build-up with the suspense delivers with an emotional and riveting grand finale in the diner.
My recommendation is pretty much the same as it is for all of Reid's books: read it if you're a fan or if you like quirky and smart heroines.
Hate to Want You (Forbidden Hearts #1) by Alisha Rai
July 22, 2018 July 13, 2018 katvinsoncontemporary, diverse, fiction, mf, romance
Hate to Want You is a complex novel with a bucketful of family secrets.
The grandfathers of Olivia (Livvy) Kane and Nicholas Chandler were best friends and started a grocery store together that became very successful. Livvy's was even in a Japanese internment camp during WW II and Nicholas's didn't take advantage of that situation. They continued managing it once he was back out.
Livvy and Nicholas grew up together and dated for years, all until a tragic and fatal car accident involving Livvy's father and Nicholas's mother. Then, somehow (how was never entirely clear to me), Nicholas's father bought/cheated the Kanes out of their share of the company. After that, Nicholas and Livvy broke up. They each have a different story about how that went down, however. Livvy left town afterward and hasn't been back except for a couple exceptions.
It's been about a decade since the accident and Livvy is back in town. Nicholas goes to visit her at the tattoo parlor she works at in the opening scene. This is breaking all their rules. They've been seeing each other once a year (on Livvy's birthday) for casual sex and Livvy skipped the last one. The sexual tension between them is off the charts the second they're together. This isn't a good thing for either of them, really, and just highlights the unhealthy approach they've taken to their relationship. Neither of them has really gotten over the other but each of them has reasons to stay away. But with them back in the same town it's hard to keep them apart. They try to keep it casual, but that's as unhealthy as it was over the past decade. There's a lot of work for them to do before they can be together in a meaningful way.
There are many things that set this book apart from other second chance romances. First, one of the characters isn't white and this is totally normalized, doesn't even come up as worthy of mentioning. I think the only thing that made it certain to me was the mention of the internment camp. Second, Livvy (and probably her mother) has clinical depression. The way Rai dealt with this was nice—very realistic. She addresses the fact that it's always there, but the severity of the current state can vary depending on certain triggers. Nicholas also has his own issues even though they're not as significant as Livvy's. He's very closed off mostly because of the way his father has always treated him. He has to learn to overcome that before he and Livvy can really go anywhere. Still before and after that, there's plenty of sexytimes for the reader to enjoy.
Another thing that sets this book apart is that we get a healthy dose of Rai's feminist observation:
The world was unkind to women. It was devastating to women who didn't believe in themselves.
The quickest way to get a dude to stop hitting on you was to say you're with another guy, because men respect other men more than they respect a woman saying no.
If you enjoy complicated romances between characters with lots of painful history, this one might just be for you.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Discussion in 'Projectors, Screens & Video Processors' started by chriswhiteuk, Mar 31, 2004.
it's like the panels aren't aligned 100% giving a very slight blue or green edge to objects - most noticeable on animated films like the Lion King.
Is this to do with the DVD encoding, or can I adjust the overlay at all ?
I'm using QED component leads from Sony 930.
Pictures remain bright and clear, bu the effect is not apparent on the DVi input.
Ignore this, just tested the AE500 in the living room and it has the same effect.
Been spoilt by DVI, nuff said.


Asociacion Emprender de Productos Agricolas y Pecuarios Los Mangos (Asemprogrope) is an organization that started in 2004, made up of 32 producer members in the villages of Nazareno and Los Mangos in the municipality of Planadas in Tolima. The association works closely with Lohas Beans to strengthen their Organization at different levels and is improving the quality of coffee as they integrate cupping sessions and training programs for the farmers.
The Tolima region of Colombia mainly offers quality coffees from small farmers in very small micro-lots via cooperatives.
Sweet and well balanced with bright acidity and hints of honey, vanilla, chocolate and peach.


Congratulations to Susan Dickinson and Michael Loftus for receiving the Paul Harris Fellowship Award, May 14th, 2013.
The Paul Harris Fellowship was created in memory of Paul Harris, who founded Rotary with 3 business associates in Chicago in 1905. It is awarded to Rotarian's who exemplify Rotary's motto of "Service Above Self" through their commitment to projects which benefit their community as well as internationally. Susan's and Michaels can do attitude and willingness to volunteer whenever needed was recognized with receipt of this award. Every Paul Harris Fellow receives a medal, pin and certificate upon becoming a fellow. These identify them as supporters of Rotary's goals of world peace and international understanding.
Susan is pictured below, with Mona Staaf-Gunther, a past Paul Harris Fellow recipient.
Michael is pictured below with John Neufeld, a past Paul Harris Fellow recipient.


Interest in sustainably-produced foods has grown exponentially in recent decades. Food Secure Canada has conducted a study called, "Sustainable Consumption For All" (April 2018 - March 2019) to better understand the barriers Canadians living on low-incomes face in accessing sustainably-produced food. The study was funded by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. The project utilized key informant interviews, focus groups with people living on low-income, and a nation-wide survey. Key research findings will be presented, followed by an interactive discussion about the project. We will also explore future research questions.
Lead Researcher, Food Secure Canada Research Project, "Sustainable Consumption for All"
The focus groups and key informant parts of this report were researched, compiled and written by Dr. Desré Kramer, MES, MSc., Ph.D. Desré has been a journalist and an academic in the fields of innovation and health and safety for over two decades. She is now a research consultant. She manages a study on occupational chemical exposures, is conducting an environmental scan on work and health, and conducted this research on food insecurity across Canada. As a journalist, she published 500 articles, and as an academic, over 20 manuscripts. Her nationally-funded research has more recently been on the adoption of innovations, qualitative methodology, occupational disease and the prevention of exposure; and workplace interventions on sun safety. For seven years, she was the Associate Director of the Occupational Cancer Research Centre, and for eight years, the Associate Director of the Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders.


text:
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Juggalos – Transcript
by Kirsten Jusewicz-Haidle
Groupies have always been a part of the music scene. The Grateful Dead and the Deadheads. Beatles and Beatlemania.
Juggalos like music called horrorcore rap and the main group they follow is the Insane Clown Posse. Many of them paint their faces to look like scary clowns. Some get tattoos with an image of a man running with a hatchet in his hand.The FBI has classified Juggalos as a hybrid street gang. Question is, who are Juggalos?
This story starts with horrorcore rap. Which is like hip-hop mixed with metal. The lyrics are dark, violent– graphic. Sort of like a script for a horror film, set to music. As a well-known horrorcore rapper called Mars once put it, "If you take Stephen King or Wes Craven and you throw them on a rap beat, that's who I am."
The most popular group in this genre is the Insane Clown Posse, or ICP. ICP is basically two guys: Joseph Bruce and Joseph Ulster. Otherwise known as Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope.
So you've got horrorcore rap, and you've got ICP. Now for their fans.
They call themselves Juggalos.
HOTLINE: What up Juggalos. This is your homeboy J-Webb coming at you with another exciting edition of the Psychopathic Hotline.
J-Webb, or Jason Webber, is the PR person for ICP's record label, Psychopathic Records.
HOTLINE: Let's get right to it. As we speak Violent J and Shaggy 2-Dope are tearing it up across America on the Marvelous Missing Link Tour. This tour is taking place on both coasts and in the midwest and in the south. Basically everyplace except your mama's ass.
This is pretty classic male Juggalo vernacular. There are female Juggalos–known as Juggalettes–but Juggalos tend to be pretty male-centric. Many of them talk like a certain kind of teenager–like that guy who sits in the back of chemistry class and makes mom jokes. The kind of guy most people don't take seriously.
And then there's the horrorcore aesthetic. A lot of Juggalos paint their faces like scary clowns, and have tattoos of what looks like a cartoon character wielding an axe. White guy cornrows are not a rare sight. They also walk around whoop whooping a lot. But until a few years ago, they were basically just a weird subculture. An internet joke.
Then in 2011, the FBI's National Gang Intelligence Center classified Juggalos as, "a loosely organized hybrid gang."
Detective Kenny Shelton is with the the Sacramento County Sheriff Gang Suppression Unit.
SHELTON: Gangs are the number one problem in America right now. At least in California and definitely in Sacramento. Gang members account for less than 1% of our total population in Sacramento but they're committing 80% of our violent crime in Sacramento.
Detective Shelton says most of these gang members belong to gangs that immediately pop into your head. You know: Bloods, Crips, Nortenos. But the Sacramento Gang Unit also keeps an eye on Juggalos.
SHELTON: In Sacramento, we have in the ballpark of 40 documented Juggalo gang members. When you compare that to the total number of documented gang members in Sacramento, where we've got 20,000 documented gang members, it's a small blip.
Detective Shelton says Juggalos have committed violent crimes. If you look online there are reports in other parts of the country of murders carried out with hatchets or meat cleavers by people identified as Juggalos. But in Sacramento, Detective Shelton says, the kind of crimes Juggalos generally commit have to do with narcotics and arson.
And most Juggalos aren't committing crimes. They just like the music.
SHELTON: I would say the overwhelming majority of the individuals who align with the Insane Clown Posse, or Juggalos whatever the case may be, they just listen to the music. The problem is when they start following the music as a quote, unquote, religion. And the reason for that is the content of that music is ultraviolent.
When Shelton says ICP and other Juggalo music has ultraviolent lyrics, he means things like incredibly graphic descriptions of murder and rape. It can sound frightening–but the Juggalos I spoke to say the violence in their songs, is actually directed toward people who do terrible things.
MARS: It's like they're killing people that are like child molesters or people who do bad stuff so they're like in a sense like these vigilante clowns.
Mars is a horrorcore rapper in the Bay Area. His real name is Mario Delgado. He's the rapper who described his music as being like Stephen King or Wes Craven set to rap music. He doesn't paint his face like a clown–instead he wears a Hannibal Lecter mask to concerts and interviews.
MARS: It's like nobody forgets the guy in the Hannibal Lecter mask, you know what I mean? I have a persona about me that people gravitate towards if they're into some weird stuff.
Horrorcore rap gets attention for its lyrics, as well as how artists in the genre appear in public.
MARS: It's just so funny that all these people are probably some of the nicest people that I've ever met in my life. When you get them on TV and their faces are painted or on TV wearing a mask, we just look so crazy to normal people. But they don't get, that's the whole point.
The music is popular–ICP has two platinum records and their annual gatherings attract tens of thousands of fans. But you aren't going to see horrorcore act at the Super Bowl halftime show or hear it in the local radio station. The music exists outside the mainstream. Which is part of why fans I spoke to said they see themselves more like a subculture. Sort of like Deadheads. Except, instead of wearing t-shirts with skulls on them and listening to songs with peaceful lyrics that are mostly metaphors for doing drugs or resisting the man, Juggalos paint their faces like clowns and listen to music with violent lyrics–which fans and artists in the genre say are meant as ironic reflections on the state of the world.
Jeff Ferrell is a professor of sociology at Texas Christian University.
FERRELL: …and a visiting professor of criminology in Kent in the UK.
Twenty years ago Ferrell and some of his colleagues helped found the study of cultural criminology.
FERRELL: And what we argued then and now is that more and more of what we see really isn't straight ahead criminality or straight ahead criminal justice, but often intertwined with media dynamics and misinterpretation of symbolism.
Ferrell says that subcultures like the Juggalos often emerge when people feel like they can't win in mainstream society. So, he says, they create a world where they can win.
FERRELL: It's really very much a kind of carnival-esque inversion of status. So instead of striving to be a doctor or a lawyer or to win at a game that is already rigged against you, they and many other subcultures redefine the game.
The code of that subcultural conduct, Ferrell says, is the using clown face paint and knowing the lyrics to the newest ICP song.
FERRELL: That makes you kind of both a holy goof, a kind of fool, in the eye's of society, but that also can easily blend over to being seen as a threat or a kind of outsider who threatens mainstream values or morality.
Ferrell also says that there is a historical precedent for mainstream institutions–such as the FBI and local law enforcement–categorizing subcultures as gangs. Take for instance, the Pachucos.
FERRELL: Long ago in the 40's, Pachucos who were 2nd generation Mexican American kids who formed their style through wearing Zoot Suits and long drapey coats and pleated pants, during WWII were defined as a gang.
According to Ferrell, many people justified calling Pachucos a gang by pointing to their unique style.
FERRELL: Their style was seen as unpatriotic and not supporting the war effort and they came under attack by the police and by service men and women as well.
Today, most people agree that groups of people wearing unusual clothing does not a gang make. But what about listening to violent music and making stylistic choices that recall horror movies?
In January 2014, the Insane Clown Posse, along with four Juggalos, and the ACLU of Michigan, sued the FBI over the gang designation. Their suit demands the FBI and law enforcement agencies across the country end their designation of Juggalos as a hybrid gang.
Michael J. Steinberg one of the ACLU lawyers, at a press conference:
STEINBERG: It is a quintessential civil liberties case challenging government abuse and supporting the right of people to express themselves without fear of police persecution.
In a nutshell, the Juggalos involved in the lawsuit say that they're not a gang at all–and that the FBI can't classify a group of people as a gang based on the violent actions of a small number of people who are part of the group.
According to the lawsuit filed by the ACLU, classifying Juggalos as a gang turned a lot of people's lives upside down. This is Violent J–or Joseph Bruce–from ICP:
VIOLENT J: The FBI's gang designation has caused real lasting harm to the lives of the Juggalos. Parents have lost custody of their kids, they've been fired from jobs, they've been denied housing, they've been subjected to illegal searches, and sometimes added to a gang database simply for walking down the street wearing an ICP t-shirt.
Gabe Gonzales is a Juggalo from Oakland, California. He says that the gang designation has changed the lives of some Juggalos for the worse. Gonzales said a friend of his who identifies as a Juggalo got into hard drugs and was sent to prison. But later, after he was released from prison, Gonzales says he put his life back in order.
GONZALES: He got his kids back out of foster care and his kids are now living with him. And he goes to his last probation meeting and it was a week after we had gotten labelled a gang.
Gonzales said his friend had a Juggalo tattoo.
GONZALES: And because he had a hatchet man tattoo, it was against his probation. Because he was affiliated with a gang now. Officially. And so he got sent back to jail, lost his kids, lost his job, and to this day he's still in there. Just over a tattoo. Just over a hatchet man tattoo.
Gonzales says the hatchet man tattoo is misinterpreted by people outside the Juggalo culture. He says to Juggalos, the image represents a more equitable and just society.
GONZALES: It's a guy with an ax running after bigots. People that look at people differently because of the color of their skin or the way they look.
Gonzales is soft-spoken and somewhat introverted. As a Latino teenager he says he experienced racial discrimination. So, he says, he spent a lot of time at home watching pro wrestling. He felt like an outsider. Then he discovered the Insane Clown Posse and in 2000, he attended his first ICP concert. For the first time, he says, he felt like he belonged…somewhere.
GONZALES: I grew up with a lot of bigotry in my life. I grew up with a lot of people doubting me cause I was Mexican, talking down to me because I was Mexican. So when I saw this culture that was, that had no bigotry in it whatsoever, it was a free culture. Everybody was equal. It felt right. I may be Mexican, but I don't consider myself a Mexican. I consider myself a Juggalo.
In 2012, Gonzales was at the annual Juggalo music festival when ICP announced they were planning on suing the FBI for classifying Juggalos as a hybrid gang.
GONZALES: Right when they said it I just bursted into tears. And I looked around I saw people also tearing, but they were chanting family. A big old chant of family rang out for a good like 3 minutes straight. The whole place erupted. Everybody's hugging each other and it was just like finally there might be some hope.
Farris Haddad is one of ICP's lawyers on the case. He's also a Juggalo. He said until the ACLU announced it was going to join ICP in challenging the FBI, he hadn't realized how much the gang classification was affecting Juggalos.
HADDAD: I had no idea that I'd be sitting there for about three days straight with a line out the door and around the corner of people just filling out statements and telling their stories and sort of crying in my little trailer office.
In the end, lawyers representing the case said they picked four Juggalos to join the suit. And even though these four had spotless criminal records, they said they had been harassed by law enforcement, and felt their service in the US Armed Forces was threatened.
Haddad says shortly after they filed the suit, he filed a Freedom of Information Act Request to find out exactly what evidence the FBI was using to classify Juggalos as a gang. He says he was surprised by what he got back.
HADDAD: The first thing we received, which was the main thing that they gave us, was about 20-30 internet articles. It was almost as if you gave the assignment to like a highschool student and they just went online and googled and printed out a few articles and they sent us.
Haddad says those articles were local news stories where a suspect in a crime was identified as a Juggalo. He also says he received copies of emails the FBI sent to local law enforcement agencies asking them if they knew of or thought there was a Juggalo gang in the area. The responses were usually just a sentence, and were all redacted.
Brandon Bradley, one of the four Juggalos represented in ACLU case, is from Sacramento. He's said publicly that he experienced harassment and has been identified as a gang member for nothing more than wearing Juggalo clothing and having hatchet man tattoos.
Detective Shelton–the Sacramento police detective–says that he's documented less than a dozen Juggalos as gang members, and that all have had criminal records.
SHELTON: Every person who I have documented as a Juggalo gang member has a criminal history. They've been arrested at some point, usually pretty recently. Not all Juggalos have a criminal history but all of the ones that I've personally contacted and documented as Juggalos have.
Some Juggalos ARE committing crimes. That much is clear. But what is NOT clear is whether they're committing crimes because they're Juggalos. Or, if people who commit crimes also happen to be Juggalos. And that's the crux of the issue.
SHELTON: We tend to be very picky and choosy about what crimes we say are gang related particularly with the Juggalos because it's such a hot topic right now across the US.
Detective Shelton says at one time he listened to horrorcore rap, as a teenager–and that it wasn't for him. He also says that anyone who chooses to identify as a Juggalo is taking a risk by affiliating themselves with a group that make many people in the local community anxious.
SHELTON: If you're presenting yourself in a particular way, you're going to be looked at in a particular way. Whether it's fair or not fair. People know what Juggalos are. A lot of it because of media attention. So if you're out there painting your face, walking around with a hatchet, wearing all this stuff, you just have to accept that's the way you're presenting yourself. Whether it's right, wrong or indifferent. That's the way society is based.
In their lawsuit the Juggalos and the ACLU say this kind of profiling–and the associated street gang identification–is exactly the problem they're trying to fight. They say their civil liberties are at stake, and this is about more than the civil rights of Juggalos. Again, Farris Haddad.
HADDAD: So the problem is if they get away with this, then this sets a precedent. Then who's next? It's such a slippery slope and that's the problem.
For Life of the Law, I'm Kirsten Jusewicz-Haidle.
HOTLINE: For now I'm J-Webb and I'm out of this piece. Peace and mad clown love. Whoop, whoop.
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11 Facts About To Kill A Mockingbird
BY Joy Lanzendorfer
istock (blank book, background)
It has been nearly 60 years since Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird was published, and the story still resonates with readers. The coming-of-age tale about racial injustice in the south was a phenomenal success from the start, and has only become more popular with time.
1. The Book Drew On Lee's Childhood In Alabama
While To Kill A Mockingbird is not autobiographical, there are similarities between the novel and Lee's life. The book is set in Maycomb, Alabama, the fictional name for Monroeville, where Lee grew up. Like the main character Scout, Lee was a tomboy who was uncomfortable with traditional femininity. She and Scout would have been the same age and her brother Edwin was four years older, just like Scout's brother Jem. She even gave the family her mother's maiden name, Finch.
2. Dill Was Based on Truman Capote
Lee modeled the neighbor boy Dill after Capote. As a child, Capote—the author of In Cold Blood and Breakfast At Tiffany's—lived next door to Lee. They played together and even shared Lee's typewriter. Both children were outside the social circles of their close-knit Southern town. As Gerald Clarke wrote in Capote: A Biography, "Nelle was too rough for most other girls, and Truman was too soft for most other boys."
Capote's first book, Other Voices, Other Rooms, has a tomboy character resembling Lee. Her name is Idabel Thompkins.
3. Lee Grew Up In The Courtroom
Like the character Atticus, Lee's father, AC Lee, was a lawyer. Soft-spoken and dignified, he defended two African American men accused of murder and lost the case. Lee spent much of her childhood in the Monroeville courthouse. "Her father was a lawyer, and she and I used to go to trials all the time as children," Capote said. "We went to the trials instead of going to the movies."
Lee herself went to law school, but hated it and dropped out.
4. Boo Radley May Also Be Inspired From Life
In the book, Boo Radley is a recluse who leaves presents for the children in a tree. He may have been modeled after a real man, Son Boulware, who lived in Monroeville when Lee was a child. According to Capote, "He was a real man, and he lived just down the road from us. We used to go and get those things out of the trees. Everything [Lee] wrote about it is absolutely true."
5. Go Set A Watchman Was Written Before Mockingbird
Lee wrote Go Set A Watchman in the 1950s. Set 20 years after To Kill A Mockingbird, it contains many of the same characters and themes. An editor who read the manuscript loved a flashback about Scout's childhood and told Lee to write a book from the child's point of view. Lee then started To Kill A Mockingbird.
Go Set A Watchman was thought to be lost until it was recently discovered in Lee's archives.
6. Lee Was Able To Write Because Of A Gift From Friends
After finishing school, Lee moved to New York and worked as an airline reservationist. One Christmas, her friends Joy and Michael Brown gave her a gift: enough money to write for one year. In an essay for McCall's in 1961, Lee wrote that they told her to quit her job and write whatever she wanted, no strings attached. "Our faith in you was really all I had heard them say. I would do my best not to fail them."
7. The Book Changed Considerably During Editing
Lee's agent sent To Kill A Mockingbird to 10 publishers and all of them turned it down. Finally, the publisher Lippincott accepted the manuscript, even though it needed a lot of work. "There were dangling threads of a plot, there was a lack of unity—a beginning, a middle, and an end—that was inherent in the beginning," according to editor Tay Hohoff. "It is an indication of how seriously we were impressed by the author that we signed a contract at that point."
There followed "a long and hopeless period of writing the book over and over again," said Lee. It was published in 1960.
8. Lee Thought The Novel Would Fail
In 1964, Lee said she "[N]ever expected any sort of success with Mockingbird. I didn't expect the book to sell in the first place." But the novel was an immediate success. Not only was it a best-seller, it was followed up with an Oscar-winning movie starring Gregory Peck. It also won a Pulitzer Prize in 1961. Today, the book sells almost a million copies a year, more than fellow 20th century classics The Great Gatsby or The Catcher in the Rye.
9. Truman Capote Didn't Write The Novel
At some point, a rumor started that Capote wrote To Kill A Mockingbird, or at least edited it. Aside from the fact that Lee's writing sounds nothing like Capote's, he only saw the manuscript once. In 1959, Lee accompanied Capote to Kansas to research In Cold Blood. During that trip, she showed him a finished version of Mockingbird, which was about to go to print. Since the book was done, it would have been impossible for Capote to edit it, let alone write it.
10. In Fact, It's Said That Capote Was Jealous Of The Novel's Success
While Capote initially seemed supportive, the friendship soured as Lee's novel was increasingly lauded. According to Alice Lee, "Truman became very jealous because Nelle Harper got a Pulitzer and he did not. He expected In Cold Blood to bring him one, and he got involved with the drugs and heavy drinking and all. And that was it. It was not Nelle Harper dropping him. It was Truman going away from her."
11. Lee Hated The Spotlight
When asked about her success in 1964, Lee called it frightening, saying her reaction was "sheer numbness. It was like being hit over the head and knocked cold." While she never became the "Jane Austen of south Alabama" as she once hoped, she did work on a true crime novel in the 1970s. Here's hoping it too sees the light of day.
'Turdsworth': Lord Byron's Not-So-Affectionate Nickname for William Wordsworth
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For those of you who thought William Wordsworth was a not-so-subtle pseudonym meant to further the literary brand of a certain 19th-century poet, think again: William Wordsworth's real name was actually William Wordsworth.
The fitting, alliterative moniker makes it hard to forget that Wordsworth was a wordsmith, but it also made him an easy target for mockery at the hands of other Romantic era writers.
Some of it was the type of clever wordplay you might expect from England's elite poets. In an essay for the London Review of Books, Michael Wood highlights the time that Samuel Taylor Coleridge sent his poem "The Nightingale" to Wordsworth, writing, "And like an honest bard, dear Wordsworth/You'll tell me what you think, my Bird's worth."
While Coleridge's witty rhyme poked fun at Wordsworth in a playful way, not all of his contemporaries were quite so kind. As Literary Hub points out, Lord Byron referred to Wordsworth as "Turdsworth."
Byron's jab sounds like something you'd hear at an elementary-school kickball game, but, then again, the eccentric poet was never one to adhere to anybody's expectations—during college, for example, he often walked his pet bear around the grounds.
As for the word turd itself, it's been around much longer than you might have realized. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, it derives from the Old English word tord, meaning "piece of excrement," and it's been used as a personal insult ever since the 15th century.
If fecal-themed nicknames aren't really your thing, here are 42 other Old English insults that you can fling with abandon.
[h/t Literary Hub]
History language literature News poetry Words writing
The New York Public Library's 10 Most Checked-Out Books of All Time
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To celebrate the 125th anniversary of the New York Public Library's opening in 1895, a team of library experts decided it was only fitting to highlight the perennially popular books that have contributed to its success.
They pulled the circulation stats on all print and digital formats of books, analyzed factors like length of time in print and presence in the library catalog, and came up with a list of the library's 10 most checked-out books of all time.
Topping the list was Ezra Jack Keats's The Snowy Day, the charmingly illustrated, timeless tale of a young boy discovering the wintry wonders of a snow day. It's been in circulation since its publication in 1962, and it's far from the only children's book on the list—in fact, six of the top 10 most borrowed books are meant for a young audience, including Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat, Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are, E.B. White's Charlotte's Web, and Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar. As the library explains, this is partly because shorter books have quicker turnover rates, and partly because certain children's classics appeal to a wide range of readers.
And, of course, it would hardly be a "top books" list if it didn't include at least one of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone came in ninth place, with 231,022 checkouts. One children's book, however, is conspicuously missing: Margaret Wise Brown's peaceful bedtime story Goodnight Moon, published in 1947 and seemingly read by just about everyone. According to the NYPL, Anne Carroll Moore, an important children's librarian at the time of the book's publication, despised the story, so the library didn't add it to the catalog until 1972. (They gave it an "honorable mention" designation on this list.)
Books can also rack up high circulation numbers if they're often used in school curriculums, like Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, or cover themes that appear (and reappear) in current events—which might explain why George Orwell's 1984 has been checked out a staggering 441,770 times.
See the rest of the top 10 below, and find out which books made the NYPL's 2019 most checked-out list here.
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats // 485,583
The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss // 469,650
1984 by George Orwell // 441,770
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak // 436,016
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee // 422,912
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White // 337,948
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury // 316,404
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie // 284,524
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling // 231,022
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle // 189,550
books History kids at-the-libraries Lists literature News nyc


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Q: Can I set Tomcat's JNDI connection pooling settings in my Spring-MyBatis application? Environment:
Tomcat 7
JNDI
Spring-MyBatis
No JTA - commons pooling only
Problem: Can't get the connection pooling to work as advertised. I can't find a single example of this that doesn't use a stand-alone Transaction manager or that doesn't put all the settings in the war, which makes JNDI pointless. I'm told that JTA is overkill for this application and that we should stick with commons pooling. That makes sense but I don't see a way to configure pooling, if we do it that way.
So... how do I configure connection pooling without putting the settings in the war file AND without using a stand-alone transaction manager? Can this be done without a full Java EE Application Server? We are just moving to Tomcat from another product which actually is full Java EE, so I am thinking this may be a Container vrs. Application server issue.
The weird part is that we can and have used JNDI but the pooling is definitely wrong.
Here is one example that probably works but why bother with JNDI if the settings are going to be in META-INF/context.xml?:
MyBatis JNDI Example

A: Even with context.xml, it's still a container level setting. But, it's a convenient way of deploying everything in a singe unit rather than having to create the connection pool before you deploy the WAR file.
JNDI is meant to keep your application configuration generic. If you take your WAR and deploy it in WebSphere, for example, it will ignore the context.xml file. But WebSphere will see that you have a JDNI resource-ref in your web.xml and walk you through creating the data source. Same idea as Tomcat, just a different way of doing it.
If you are 100% sure that this application will only run in Tomcat then you don't have to use JNDI. But, it will save you trouble later if you do move to another container.


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Home » Media Centre » All Media Centre » Why Data Centre PUE is Important – and How UPS Efficiency Can Boost It
Why Data Centre PUE is Important – and How UPS Efficiency Can Boost It
Power Usage Effectiveness, or PUE, has become a popular metric for measuring the overall electrical energy efficiency of a data centre. It compares 'useful' power used for data processing with total power taken from the grid.
In this article Brian Aver, Technical Support Manager at Kohler Uninterruptible Power, a Kohler company, looks at the significance of PUE and how modern UPS topology can help to improve it.
What is PUE?
Driven by continuously-growing demand for secure data processing capacity, dedicated data centres have become truly enormous. Colocation provider Switch's SuperNAP data centre campus in Las Vegas, for example, has a mission-critical power capacity of up to 200MW and can house up to 20,000 cabinets.
As power demand has climbed to these levels, energy efficiency has become a critical issue for both commercial and political reasons. In recognition of this, the Green Grid – an industry group focused on data centre efficiency – created the Power Usage Effectiveness or PUE metric to determine a data centre's efficiency using a globally recognised calculation. PUE is defined as the ratio between the total amount of power entering a data centre and the amount usefully consumed by the data-processing load within it. As a data centre's efficiency improves, its PUE drops; an 'ideal', perfectly-efficient data centre would have a PUE of one.
According to the Uptime Institute's Data Center Industry Survey 2014, the typical data centre has an average self-reported PUE of 1.7, meaning for every 1.7W taken from the utility, only 1W is used directly for IT activity. The 'useful' power is consumed by data processing hardware including servers, storage and telecommunications equipment. The 'overhead' or wasted energy is due to chillers and other cooling equipment, switchgear and UPSs. As cooling equipment has become more efficient, attention has turned to UPS systems as they offer the major remaining PUE improvement opportunity.
PUE values can vary continuously over a 24 hour period as data centre loads change, on both the overhead and IT equipment sides. External ambient temperature fluctuations can also affect cooling equipment and its contribution to the PUE value. Nevertheless, PUE provides a useful comparative indicator that can reveal improvements and changes within the data centre.
However, one slightly counterintuitive result occurs if a data centre succeeds in improving its IT hardware's efficiency but not the efficiency of its overheads. In this situation the overall PUE deteriorates due to the change in the ratio between 'effective' energy use and wasted energy use. However this effect can be negated, and PUE improved, if UPS energy efficiency is also improved. In fact, the benefits are two-fold; in addition to direct energy savings, increasing UPS efficiency cuts energy use by reducing air conditioning requirements.
UPS technology and efficiency
UPS design has travelled a tremendous way in the last twenty years, becoming smaller, more powerful, more flexible and most importantly, more efficient. Today, most modern UPS installations use transformerless UPS topology, which offers several significant advantages over the earlier transformer-based approach it replaced. As a result, efficiency has massively improved in recent years and the most advanced UPS suppliers are now able to offer efficiency levels of up to 96%, and in certain circumstances even higher levels are achievable, albeit with some compromises. What's more, this high level of efficiency is closely maintained for a wide spectrum of loading, even down to 25% or less, meaning efficiency does not suffer if your UPS is underutilised. Further energy efficiency savings arise as the UPS's increased efficiency reduces waste heat output and therefore demand on cooling systems.
Another benefit of modern UPS technology is the ability to configure you UPS system as a scalable set of 'hot-swappable' modules, rather than a single, monolithic installation. The modular approach enables load capacity to be increased throughout the life of the system, in line with business requirements.
The modern modular system may also improve energy efficiency by presenting an input power factor much closer to unity and far less load-dependent. This reduces the magnitude of the input currents, therefore reducing the size of the power cabling and switchgear.
Eco-mode operation
Modern modular systems, such as Kohler Uninterruptible Power's Conceptpower DPA250, contribute significantly to a data centre's efficiency and PUE as they can provide 95.5% efficiency while operating in true on-line, double conversion mode. This is the most attractive mode for almost all data centres, as it represents an optimum balance between efficient operation and full UPS protection from mains-borne spikes and disturbances as well as blackouts.
However, there are occasionally applications where operators decide to increment UPS efficiency up to 99% by operating the UPS in what's called eco-mode. Fig.1 shows a simplified UPS schematic, illustrating the eco-mode principle; in normal operation, the critical load is fed directly from the raw mains. The UPS components and battery back-up only come into use during a mains failure.
Circumstances under which eco-mode may be acceptable include some industrial applications where the load is not susceptible to damage from mains spikes or blackouts. By contrast in areas such as datacentres where the critical load comprises sensitive ICT equipment, operators are extremely unlikely to adopt this mode. Even if the mains quality is generally good, a single mains aberration may lead to loss of data, permanent damage to unprotected ICT hardware. Despite these major shortcomings, eco-mode may one day become a popular option if IT hardware manufacturers design their products to better cope with the factional delay between the mains failing and the UPS coming online. If this is achieved, eco-mode may become a global standard practice, making a significant impact on improving PUE in the process.
Fig. 1: Simplified UPS Schematic, illustrating the eco-mode
As data processing equipment efficiency improves, overall PUE can deteriorate – meaning the raising the efficiency of essential support systems, such as the UPSs, is vital to maintain or improve PUE values in the long term. Modern UPS hardware is needed to correctly size for the critical load.
Theoretically, PUE can be improved by operating the UPS in eco-mode; however, right now, this benefit must be balanced against the risk of exposing the critical load to raw mains during normal operation. It is equally important to note that the significant increases in efficiency from the latest UPS makes the benefit of operating in eco-mode even less appealing, despite what some manufacturers may say.
Overall, PUE can provide a valuable metric for understanding efficiency within the data centre but improving it is not going to come from one area alone. Lowering your PUE is an ongoing challenge with reputational, financial and environmental benefits for those who keep up their commitment.
Why Do I Need a UPS?
UPS systems for smaller-scaled communications and network rooms


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We're excited to announce that UNSILO has become a part of Cactus Communications, a global scientific communications company with its headquarters in Mumbai, India. For the last 17 years, CACTUS has been meeting a wide spectrum of research and publishing needs across the academic and life sciences industries. It also has a growing technology portfolio that includes Ada, an automated document assessment solution to help journals screen scientific content, and PubSURE, an AI-powered platform that matches authors with journals.
UNSILO will gain access to a wealth of data and scholarly publishing expertise that will allow us to grow faster and achieve even greater things, to the benefit of all our partners.
We hope you will continue to support us as we embark on this new journey.
Follow the links below to download the full press release in English or Danish.
Press Release (English) Press Release (Danish)


this lovely garden in the early evening.
Graveyard, St George's Churchyard and Mint Street Park.
[email protected] or call 020 7367 0840.
games and relaxed conversation. Everybody welcome.
Oasis Farm Waterloo is starting a free Thursday Cook Club.
23 June. Places are limited so apply early.
Did you know that Waterloo used to be a hive of industry?
chance to meet the performers.
Remembrance on the site of the outcasts' burial ground.
testimonies by Crossbones Bards and members of the audience.
For your comfort, bring a cushion and dress for the weather.
shrine at the gates on Redcross Way.
illustrated with some of her beautiful hats.
transform into artisans of the venerable Baroque tradition.
Concessions £2.50, Children £1.50, Family Ticket £8.
is a prelude to the ticketed performance in the evening.
guest preacher at this year's Waterloo Festival Eucharist.
with the choir of St Thomas-on-the Bourne church in Farnham.
* Pubs showing Euro 2016 matches?


bear), hoofed mammals (antelope, deer), amphibians, reptiles, fishes, crustaceans, odonates (dragonflies and damselflies) and birds ) the list from one morning in early July 2016 included more than 50 species seen or heard). The list in the Southwestern Naturalist goes on for five pages.
Yes… in the morning, the turkeys will stroll right into the headquarters yard.


A Q&A with Ali S one of our new Fitness Instructors.
Ali what inspired you to get into all this?
I have my parents to thank for this! As a kid I was always playing sport and keeping active, and my parents were great role models for a healthy and balanced diet. After I finished school at 18, I started teaching classes at my local gym. This led to me studying as a personal trainer and getting as much knowledge as I could through different courses, work experience, and other trainers.
What inspired you to come and work at WVR?
When I met Andrew it was like meeting a kindred spirit! We have had very parallel experiences, and when he spoke about his plans for WVR I knew it was something I wanted to be involved in. WVR is unlike any other retreat; there is a focus on all of the elements that contribute to a happy healthy lifestyle, which are not just short term whilst at the retreat, but can be taken away and used in everyday life.
If you had one message for those coming to Wild View Retreat retreats what would it be?
To be open-minded! A lot of people see retreats as a quick fix, but WVR strives to be the exact opposite. You will learn how to implement healthy habits into your life, in a way that suits you. If you're looking to get fit, eat well and learn then this is the retreat for you!
What would you like people to get out of the retreat and your teaching?
I love when people leave my sessions feeling better than they did when they came in. Exercise is a great way of relieving stress, and it's empowering to watch your body get fitter and stronger. I want people to look forward to training with me and hopefully see some great results.
What inspires and motivates you on a daily basis to maintain your healthy lifestyle?
I exercise and eat a healthy and varied diet because if I don't I just don't feel good – its that simple! My sleep is affected, I'm less able to do my job effectively, and I'm definitely not much fun to be around. The trick is making "being healthy" a lifestyle and not a chore, and realizing you don't need to make huge sacrifices to be healthy.
What future areas would you like to learn more about?
I am currently studying as a Nutritional Therapist, and a big area that interests me is the effect of stress on the body and how we can use food to heal chronic and acute stress. I am also an Eating Disorder Practitioner, so learning techniques such as NLP are of great interest to me.
What are you most looking forward to here at WVR?
I love working in a team, and I've found that you can learn something from everyone! I also can't wait for the beautiful surroundings, and getting to know the clients on the retreats.


text:
#1360 – 1968 6c Cherokee Strip
camera Mint Plate Block of 4
camera Mint Sheet(s)
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- MM50145x30mm 50 Horizontal Black Split-Back Mounts
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Issue Date: October 15, 1968
City: Ponca, OK
Quantity: 124,775,000
Printed By: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Printing Method: Rotary Press
Perforations: 11 x 10 1/2
At noon, on September 16, 1893, 100,000 settlers raced to claim one of 42,000 parcels of land along the Cherokee Strip. This race was the last great land run held in the United States.
Largest Land Run Into Oklahoma
On September 16, 1893, some 100,000 people raced to claim 6 million acres of land in former Indian Territory in Oklahoma.
Arapaho, Caddo, Cheyenne, Comanche, Kiowa, Osage, Pawnee, and Wichita Indians lived in the Oklahoma region before Europeans came to the area. These people followed the gigantic herds of buffalo that roamed the grasslands.
Spanish explorers were the first whites to reach Oklahoma. In 1541, Francisco Vásquez de Coronado commanded an expedition that traveled from Tiguex, New Mexico, to present-day Oklahoma. Another Spaniard, Hernando de Soto, may have reached the area. Both expeditions were searching for gold. Neither was successful.
In 1682, René-Robert Cavelier, a French explorer, traveled down the Mississippi River. Although he did not enter Oklahoma, he claimed all the land drained by the Mississippi for France. This territory was called Louisiana, and included Oklahoma. This led to many explorers, fur traders, and trappers coming to Oklahoma.
France claimed Louisiana until 1762, when it was sold to Spain. Napoleon regained Louisiana in 1800, and then sold this massive parcel of land to the United States in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase. Oklahoma then became part of the U.S.
The Louisiana Territory consisted of 827,987 square miles of land. Congress divided the territory for administrative purposes. The territory was reorganized several times. At first, Oklahoma was part of the District of Louisiana. In 1805, it became part of the Louisiana Territory. In 1812, the Missouri Territory was organized from the Louisiana Territory. Then, in 1819, the U.S. settled a boundary dispute with Spain. As part of the settlement, the Oklahoma panhandle was given to Spain. That same year, sections of Oklahoma became part of the Arkansas Territory.
For more than a hundred years, the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole Indians had lived in close proximity to Europeans in the southeastern U.S. These people had adopted a great deal of European culture and were known as the Five Civilized Tribes. In 1819, the U.S. government began pressuring the Five Civilized Tribes to move west to Oklahoma. At that time, Oklahoma was mostly unpopulated. The government built Fort Towson and Fort Gibson, and forced the Five Tribes to move there. From 1830-1842, the Indians made the trip to eastern Oklahoma. Thousands of Indians died along the way. The journey came to be known as the "Trail of Tears."
The Five Civilized Tribes were given control of all of Oklahoma except the Panhandle. Treaties stated the Indians would own the lands "as long as grass shall grow and rivers run." Each tribe developed its own legislature, courts, laws, and capital. Farms and ranches were established, and churches and schools were built. Treaties protected the tribes from white settlement – until the Civil War.
The Five Civilized Tribes owned slaves. Originally from the South, they were invited to join the Confederacy. In 1861, some of the Indians entered into a treaty of alliance with the Confederacy. The leader of the Cherokee Indians, Chief John Ross, formed a brigade of Indians to fight for the South. Stand Watie, a Cherokee leader, became a brigadier general in the Confederate Army. A small number of Indians chose to fight for the Union. After the Civil War, the U.S. government forced the Indians to relinquish their lands in the West as a punishment for supporting the Confederacy.
The land bordering the Indian Territory was quickly filled with white settlers. White cattle ranchers began driving their herds across these fertile lands as they traveled from Texas to rail centers in Kansas. Over 6 million longhorn cattle crossed the Indian land between 1866 and 1885. Cattlemen leased more than 6 million acres of Indian land for five years, but these leases were declared illegal.
By the late 1800s, "boomers" (whites who wanted Indian land opened for settlement), had pressured the government and president Benjamin Harrison to change their policy. Their first victory came in 1889, when they convinced the government to open up public lands in Oklahoma for settlement. At noon on April 22, 1899, the first of several land runs into Oklahoma was held, offering up 2 million acres for settlement. Settlers amassed at the border, ready to seize prime land. With a pistol shot, settlers raced into the land. By evening, 50,000 white families had moved to Oklahoma. In the course of a single day, Guthrie and Oklahoma City had become cities with populations over 10,000.
The following year, president Harrison issued a proclamation outlawing grazing leases in the Cherokee territory. As a result, the Cherokee agreed to sell their lands, about three million acres, to the government.
Congress established the Oklahoma Territory in May 1890. Guthrie served as the capital, and the panhandle was added to the territory. (The panhandle had become U.S. territory when Texas joined the Union.) Over time, the Indians accepted individual allotment of their lands. This meant individuals held land titles, rather than tribes. Land not allotted to Indians was opened for settlement by whites. Several more land runs were held in the coming years, but the largest came in 1893.
In the days and weeks leading up to the scheduled land run, thousands flocked to Kansas' nearby boomer camps. Living in tents, they were anxious to secure their plot of land. Oklahoma's fourth and largest land run began at noon on September 16, 1893 when the Cherokee Outlet and the Tonkawa and Pawnee reservations were opened for settlement. Land offices were set up in four locations with infantry troops present to maintain order among the frenzied settlers. In spite of the military presence, a large number of "sooners" ran ahead and staked their claims before the noon start time. They got some of the best plots in the eastern third of the territory.
On the very first day, 100,000 people claimed 6 million acres of land and 40,000 homesteads in what the New York Times had billed as the "greatest real estate deal of the century." With the number of people far outnumbering the space available, many families failed to secure a claim. Additionally, some of those that secured land were unable to successfully farm it and abandoned their plots by the end of the year.
More land runs followed and in 1907, and the Cherokee and white settlers worked together to attain statehood.
1960s Commemorative Decade Set
1968 6c Leif Erikson
1968 6c Daniel Boone
1968 6c American Indian
1968 6c Arkansas River Navigation
1968 6c John Trumbull
1968 6c Waterfowl Conservation
1968 6c Father Marquette
1968 6c Law and Order
1968 6c Walt Disney
1968 6c Illinois Statehood
1968 6c Support Our Youth, Order of Elks
1968 6c Register and Vote
1968 6c HemisFair 1968
1969 6c W. C. Handy
1969 6c John Wesley Powell
1967 5c Mississippi Statehood
1969 6c Grandma Moses
1969 6c Alabama Statehood
1969 6c California Settlement
1969 6c Professional Baseball