The NIA has established a Local Members Networking Forum in Scotland this year which provides a vehicle for its 30+ members in Scotland to meet up and receive briefings on important industry matters from the NIA and external stakeholders. It provides input to the NIA's future plans and to network and share experiences with other members.
Given the success of the Forum in Scotland and feedback from NIA members in England and Wales we will be setting up a Local Members Forum in Wales and a number of regional forums throughout England in 2018.
Further details of the forums will be provided at our annual conference on 7th December and we envisage holding the first forum meetings in February 2018 to brief members on the new ECO and PAS2030 that will come into force in October 2018.
Domestic Energy Assessors (DEA) and Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) - an opportunity or a declining breed?!
Government made the decision to drop EPCs from the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) from April 2017 to save money. This was a severe blow to DEAs who had been encouraged to ramp up capacity by Government to deliver the Green Deal which unfortunately failed.
So does this mark the end for DEAs and EPCs? ABSOLUTELY NOT!
ECO is now focused purely on fuel poverty but there are huge opportunities for EPCs: and DEAs - able to pay market, new regulations for the private rented market from April 2018, SMEs and the commercial market.
Therefore we are setting up an National Insulation Association (NIA) DEA Members network that can undertake EPCs for our installer members and customers.
If you are a DEA registered with Elmhurst, ecmk, NES, Stroma or QUIDOS contact us about joining the NIA.
As an NIA DEA you will stand out from the crowd as a quality company that signs up to our strict code of professional practice and you will also be listed on our website where we will promote your services and you will have the opportunity to receive free leads.
Following the departure of Tony Hardiman, Chair of the NIA Strategic Board in June the NIA has appointed his replacement as Derek Horrocks, Chairman of the Sustainable Energy Group and previously Vice Chair of the NIA.
Commenting on his new role Derek said: "I am delighted and honoured to take over as Chair of the NIA and look forward to working with Mike, Neil and his team, other Board Members and NIA Members in building upon the success of the NIA in supporting its members.
The new appointment also means that a new Vice Chair has also been announced as Mike Easdon, Managing Director at InBuild Solutions and serving NIA Board Member.
The National Insulation Association's (NIA) Annual Conference, Exhibition and Black Tie Gala Dinner is taking place on Thursday 7th December 2017 at the Jurys Inn Hinckley Island Hotel, Leicestershire.
The exhibition has been a huge success since its introduction several years ago and attracts over 20 exhibitors each year. Exhibition stand space for the 2017 event is now available!
With all stand bookings the NIA is also offering exhibitors a FREE place to attend the Conference and the Gala Dinner worth £199. Companies wishing to reserve a stand at the exhibition and take advantage of the free place offer should contact the NIA without delay.
The NIA has been working with a number of other industry bodies over the past 6 months in developing new industry standards and specifications for insulation measures.
The National InsulationAssociation (NIA) and National Landlords Association (NLA) have come together to provide landlords with an easy to use online facility to find local insulation installers to help meet energy efficiency standards.
"It's important that landlords have access to the most trusted and reliable of local specialists, particularly when it comes to insulation, and we hope that this online service will enable landlords to meet their obligations by making their properties more energy efficient."
Minister for Energy and Industry, Jesse Norman said: "This is a welcome initiative from the NIA and the National Landlords Association, which should help people improve the energy efficiency of their homes and save money on their heating bills."
Landlords should be thinking about what they need to do to meet MEES and how they can provide warmer homes for their tenants. The minimum E rating may be raised in the future and so landlords with buildings rated F or G may decide that they wish to spend more than the minimum in order to bring those buildings to D or above.
Commenting on this mornings Government response Neil Marshall, Chief Executive of the National Insulation Association (NIA) said:" We welcome the changes that Government has made which will mean thousands more households will receive assistance through free and subsidised insulation.
From 1st April strict new national quality standards will be introduced for cavity wall, external wall, loft insulation and room in roof insulation, as part of PAS2030, which installers will be required to work to.
The National Insulation Association (NIA) is involved in setting these new standards and we are helping our members to ensure they can comply with them by 1st April.
If your company would like our help please contact us about membership today.
Today the Mail on Sunday has run a widely inaccurate and misleading story about cavity wall insulation and the cavity wall insulation industry.
"These figures are widely inaccurate as thermal cameras in isolation are ill-equipped to assess the effectiveness of cavity wall insulation and should only be considered as part of a range of inspection measures.
"Cavity wall insulation is very reliable – of the six million households who benefit from the product and hold a CIGA Guarantee only 13,000 have ever reported any problems, a claim rate of just 0.24%.
"Cavity wall insulation is a trusted product and proven to keep homes warm and fuel bills down, with independent research showing it saves families up to £275 a year in energy costs.
"The industry has robust procedures in place to ensure installers are qualified, use approved products and only fit cavity wall insulation in suitable homes.
Thermal imaging in isolation is an inappropriate method of assessing cavity wall insulation. The IRT data appears to be based on computer analysis of thermal images rather than a detailed study of the property or an intrusive survey.
British homes are some of the least energy efficient in Europe, resulting in soaring energy bills, increasing fuel poverty and an increasing reliance on foreign gas imports.
Independent research by the Energy Saving Trust has shown that installing CWI in a detached property can result in an annual saving of up to £275.
Statistics from CIGA show that, since 1995, they have issued a total of 5,853,184 guarantees across the UK. In the same time period the overall claim rate was just 0.24%, or around 13,000 households.
The product itself must be recognised by a certification body, such as the British Board of Agrement (BBA).
Surveillance is also undertaken by the BBA to assess and approve installers. This includes carrying out site based assessments and routine surveillance of completed work.
The leading industry guarantee provider CIGA also carries out its own additional checks. This ensures that the insulation itself, along with the method of installation, are of the highest standard.
Work completed under frameworks, such as the Energy Company Obligation, are also subject to an added layer of independent technical monitoring in addition to the standards described above.
The NIA and its members see the acquisition of the Green Deal Finance Company (GDFC) by Greenstone Finance and Aurium Capital Markets announced on 15th January 2017 as a positive development. It will provide a further option for consumers to finance the purchase of insulation measures to reduce their bills. It is vital that they learn the lessons from the previous Green Deal scheme in order to make the offer as simple and attractive as possible for householders and businesses. We are looking forward to working with the new management team at the GDFC to contribute to this.
PAS2030 which governs the national standards that installers must work to in the installation of energy efficiency measures is currently being revised and a new version will be published at the end of January 2017.
· The initial assessment of properties for suitability to receive the measures.
· The system design and design detailing.
· Specific industry standards and specifications setting out the standards all installers must work to such as the new NIA Specification for installing EWI with fuel burning appliances, Room in Roof Insulation survey form and best practice guide and loft insulation specification.
· Stricter competency ratios (number of trained operatives) per site.
· All sub-contractors will need to be PAS2030 accredited as well as the main contractor.
Whilst the improvements to PAS2030 are welcomed, they will only be as effective as the strength of the monitoring and enforcement by the PAS2030 Certification Bodies.
Therefore at the NIA will be adding the requirement for our members to adhere strictly to PAS2030 to our rules of membership. If we then receive reports/complaints from specifiers of insulation works that an NIA installer member is not complying with PAS2030 we will investigate this and take strong disciplinary action including suspension or expulsion if a breech is discovered.
We would therefore urge specifiers of insulation works including Local Authorities, Housing Associations, Energy Companies, Builders and Architects to choose NIA members to carry out work and incorporate a requirement for NIA membership in their future tenders for insulation projects as this will provide an additional level of assurance and enforcement.
To help specifiers in this regard we have introduced a new 'Expressions of Interest and Tender Request' Service whereby if specifiers provide us with details of projects and specifications we will circulate these to our members saving them time and money.


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Эдвард Уилбер Берри (; 10 февраля 1875 — 20 сентября 1945) — американский палеонтолог и ботаник; основное внимание его исследований было уделено палеоботанике.

Биография
Берри изучал флору Северной и Южной Америки и опубликовал результаты таксономических исследований с теоретическими реконструкциями палеоэкологии и фитогеографии. Он начал свою научную карьеру как учёный-любитель. В университете Джонса Хопкинса он занимал различные должности, в том числе преподавателя, учёного-исследователя, научного редактора и администратора.

Берри принимал участие в научных экспедициях, в том числе в 1919 году в Анды, в 1927 году была геологическая экспедиция в Перу и Эквадор, в 1933 году — геологическая экспедиция в Венесуэлу.

Берри занимал пост президента Американского палеонтологического общества (1924) и президента Американского геологического общества (1945).

В 1901 году Берри получил приз Уолкера Бостонского общества естественной истории. В 1921 году он стал членом Американской академии искусств и наук, а в следующем году — Национальной академии наук США. В 1930 году Берри стал почётным доктором Лихайского университета. В 1942 году он получил Медаль Мэри Кларк Томпсон Национальной академии наук США.

Труды
 1916. The Lower Eocene Floras of Southeastern North America
 1924. The Middle and Upper Eocene floras of Southeastern North America. U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 92
 1925.
 1929.
 1929.
 1934.
 1937.

Примечания

Ссылки
 Chrono-Biographical Sketches
 National Academy of Sciences Biographical Memoir

Ботаники США
Палеонтологи США
Преподаватели университета Джонса Хопкинса
Члены Национальной академии наук США
Члены Американской академии искусств и наук
Президенты Палеонтологического общества (США)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Adam and Eve arrived on Urantia, from the year A.D. 1934, 37,848 years ago. It was in midseason when the Garden was in the height of bloom that they arrived. At high noon and unannounced, the two seraphic transports, accompanied by the Jerusem personnel intrusted with the transportation of the biologic uplifters to Urantia, settled slowly to the surface of the revolving planet in the vicinity of the temple of the Universal Father. All the work of rematerializing the bodies of Adam and Eve was carried on within the precincts of this newly created shrine. And from the time of their arrival ten days passed before they were recreated in dual human form for presentation as the world's new rulers.
They regained consciousness simultaneously. The Material Sons and Daughters always served together. It is the essence of their service at all times and in all places never to be separated. They are designed to work in pairs; seldom do they function alone.
Adam and Eve fell asleep on Jerusem, the headquarters of our local system Satania, and when they awakened in the Father's temple on Urantia in the presence of the mighty throng assembled to welcome them, they were face to face with two beings of whom they had heard much, Van and his faithful associate Amadon. These two heroes of the Caligastia secession were the first to welcome them in their new garden home.
The tongue of Eden was an Andonic dialect as spoken by Amadon. Van and Amadon had markedly improved this language by creating a new alphabet of twenty-four letters, and they had hoped to see it become the tongue of Urantia as the Edenic culture would spread throughout the world. Adam and Eve had fully mastered this human dialect before they departed from Jerusem so that this son of Amadon heard the exalted ruler of his world address him in his own tongue.
And on that day, there was great excitement and joy throughout Eden as the runners went in great haste to the rendezvous of the carrier pigeons assembled from near and far, shouting: "Let loose the birds; let them carry the word that the promised Son has come." Hundreds of believer settlements had faithfully, year after year, kept up the supply of these home-reared pigeons for just such an occasion. As the news of Adam's arrival spread abroad, thousands of the nearby tribesmen accepted the teachings of Van and Amadon, while for months and months pilgrims continued to pour into Eden to welcome Adam and Eve and to do homage to their unseen Father.
Then was heard the archangel's proclamation, and the broadcast voice of Gabriel decreed the second judgment roll call of Urantia and the resurrection of the sleeping survivors of the second dispensation of grace and mercy on 606 of Satania. The dispensation of the Prince has passed, the age of Adam, the third planetary epoch, opens amidst scenes of simple grandeur; and the new rulers of Urantia start their reign under seemingly favorable conditions, notwithstanding the worldwide confusion occasioned by lack of the cooperation of their predecessor in authority on the planet.


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Home Lifestyle Art The Asian Canadian gay activist whose theories on sexuality were decades ahead...
The Asian Canadian gay activist whose theories on sexuality were decades ahead of their time
Li Shiu Tong, right, was the boyfriend and intellectual heir of German sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld. Imagno/Getty Images
Laurie Marhoefer, University of Washington
Historians are rediscovering one of the most important LGBTQ activists of the early 20th Century – an Asian Canadian named Li Shiu Tong. You probably don't know the name, but he was at the center of the first wave of gay politics.
Much has been written about Li's older boyfriend, Magnus Hirschfeld. Hirschfeld was a closeted German doctor and sexologist who became famous in the 1930s as a defender of gay people. In books on Hirschfeld, Li is usually just a footnote.
But as I found in my research, Li was a sexologist and activist in his own right. And in my view, his ideas about sexuality speak to our moment better than his much more well-known boyfriend's do.
When Li died in Vancouver in 1993, his unpublished manuscript about sexuality was thrown in the trash. Luckily, it was rescued by a curious neighbor and eventually ended up in an archive. Since then, only a handful of people, myself included, have read it.
In its pages is a theory of LGBTQ people as the majority that would resonate with a lot of young people today.
Student and mentor
Born in 1907 in Hong Kong, Li was a 24-year-old studying medicine at a university in Shanghai when he met Hirschfeld. Hirschfeld, then 63 years old, had come to China to give public lectures about the science of sex. The year was 1931.
The Shanghai newspapers billed Hirschfeld as the world's foremost expert on sexuality. Li must have seen the papers, because he made sure to catch Hirschfeld's very first lecture. In medical school, Li had read all he could about homosexuality, then a very controversial topic. He had often encountered Hirschfeld's name, and he knew his reputation as a defender of homosexuals. Whether he suspected that the famous sexologist was gay is a mystery. Almost no one in the 1930s could afford to be out – it would have destroyed either man's career.
Magnus Hirschfeld and Li Shiu Tong appear on a 1933 issue of the French magazine Viola. GLBT Historical Society
The lecture that afternoon was hosted by a Chinese feminist club at a fancy, modern apartment building. When Hirschfeld finished speaking, Li came up and introduced himself. He offered to be his assistant. It was the beginning of a relationship that would profoundly shape gay history, as well as the rest of both of their lives.
With Li by his side, Hirschfeld spoke all over China. Li then accompanied Hirschfeld on a lecture tour around the world, traveling first class on ships to Indonesia, the Philippines, South Asia, Egypt and beyond.
In his lectures, Hirschfeld explained his influential model of homosexuality: It was a character trait that people were born with, a part of their nature. It was neither an illness nor a sin, and the persecution of homosexuality was unjust. He gave 178 lectures, plus radio interviews. His ideas reached hundreds of thousands of people.
This was the first time in world history that anyone told so many people that being gay was not a bad thing and was, in fact, an inborn and natural condition.
A love affair and professional collaboration
On the world tour, the two fell in love, though to everyone else, they passed as teacher and student. Hirschfeld decided to make Li his successor. The plan was for Li to return to Berlin with him, train at his Institute for Sexual Science and carry on his research after his death.
Their shared dream was not to be. When they reached Europe, Hirschfeld realized he could never go back to his home in Berlin. Hitler was chancellor. The Nazis were after Hirschfeld because he was Jewish and because of his left-wing views on sexuality. He went into exile in France.
Nazis select books for burning at the Magnus Hirschfeld Institute for Sexual Science in Berlin. ullstein bild/Getty Images
Li stayed by his side and helped him write a memoir of their travels.
It is a stunning departure from Hirschfeld's earlier work, which trades in racist thinking – containing, for example, the claim that Black Americans had stunted brains.
In the book he wrote with Li's help, a different Hirschfeld emerges. The text denounces imperialism – for example, calling British rule in South Asia "one of the greatest political injustices in all of the world." Hirschfeld even saw a link between gay rights and the struggle against imperialism: both grew out of an undeniable human yearning for freedom.
After Hirschfeld died in France in 1935, his will named Li, then a student at the University of Zurich, his intellectual heir.
Hirschfeld was the most famous defender of gay people the world had yet known. But when Li died in Vancouver in 1993, it seems no one realized his connection to gay rights.
Li's vision of sexuality reemerges
Yet Li's rediscovered manuscript shows he did become a sexologist, even though he never published his findings.
In his manuscript, Li tells how after Hirschfeld died, he spent decades traveling the world, carrying on the research and taking detailed notes while living in Zurich, Hong Kong and then Vancouver.
The data he gathered would have startled Hirschfeld. 40% of people were bisexual, he wrote, 20% were homosexual and only 30% percent were heterosexual. (The last 10% were "other.") Being trans was an important, beneficial part of the human experience, he added.
Li Shiu Tong at the 1932 conference for the World League for Sexual Reform. Wellcome Images/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY
Hirschfeld thought bisexuals were scarce and that even homosexuals were only a minor slice of the population – a "sexual minority." To Li, bisexuals plus homosexuals were the majority. It was lifelong heterosexuals who were rare – so rare, he wrote, that they "should be classified as an endangered species." Li found same-sex desire to be even more common than had sexologist Alfred Kinsey, whose studies identified widespread bisexuality.
Recent polling finds LGBTQ-identifying people at lower percentages, but it also points to the numbers rising. According to a Feburary 2022 Gallup poll, they've doubled over the last ten years. That same poll found that almost 21% of Gen Z Americans – people born between 1997 and 2003 – identify as LGBTQ.
Some critics have suggested that these numbers reflect a fad. That's the explanation given by the pollster whose very small survey found that about 40% of Gen Z respondents were LGBTQ.
Li's vision conveys a more likely explaination: Same-sex desire is a very common part of human experience across history. Like Hirschfeld argued, it is natural. Unlike what he thought, however, it is not unusual. When Li was a young man in the 1930s, there was a very strong pressure not to act on same-sex desires. As that pressure lessened across the 20th century, more and more people seem to have embraced LGBTQ identities.
Why didn't Li publish his work? I'm not sure. Perhaps he hesitated because his findings were so different from his mentor's. In my book, I investigate another possibility: how the racism in Hirschfeld's earlier work may have dissuaded Li from carrying on his legacy.
Yet Li's theory was ahead of his time. A queer Asian Canadian at the heart of early gay politics, a sexologist with an expansive view of queerness and transness, he is a gay hero worth rediscovering.
Laurie Marhoefer, Jon Bridgman Endowed Associate Professor of History, University of Washington
gender fluidity
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
A Brief Intro to KPOP: The Powerful Music Industry from South Korea
Sections of this article include:
The Definition, The History, The Generations, The Appeal, The Fandom, The Colors, KPOP and The RWC Tutors, Complete Playlist of Songs Mentioned
It's the music genre that has amassed over, wait for it, 411 BILLION views on YouTube ("KPOP Music - Statistics"); the genre whose artists have sold-out stadiums across the world including here in the USA; the genre that is carrying physical album sales on its shoulders; what is it? Well, it's KPOP and it's been around for decades and continues to expand every year.
BTS members left to right: Kim Seokjin, Kim Taehyung, Park Jimin (front row), Jung Hoseok (back row), Jeon Jungkook, Min Yoongi (front row), and Kim Namjoon
You may have heard of some of today's biggest KPOP artists such as BTS, BLACKPINK, Twice, and NCT just to name a few. Maybe you've even seen their albums on Target shelves, their performances and interviews on TV, or maybe you've seen their faces on the cover of magazines ranging from teen magazines to Time, Rolling Stone, and Entertainment Weekly.
This article will introduce you to the pop-cultural phenomenon that is KPOP, or if you're already a fan, this will be a refresher.
The Definition
KPOP is short for "Korean pop music" and is influenced by genres all over the world; it's not just strictly pop music as some might assume. This industry from South Korea incorporates hip-hop, EDM, rock, soul, disco, and other genres into its music. There is a sound or style for everyone. There is a wide arrangement of KPOP artists including soloists, boy groups, girl groups, special project groups or sub-groups, and less common - CO-ED groups.
Thai artist Lisa - a soloist and member of BLACKPINK. Cred: Vogue Taiwan
KPOP groups are carefully crafted by music labels who scout, conduct auditions, and then hand-select performers who have trained for years in singing and dancing in sometimes boot-camp-like regimes. KPOP members are primarily South Korean or Korean-American but there are also many artists in the industry from Japan, Thailand, China, the USA, Canada, Australia, and so on. Many labels also train their own artists. Members are chosen to be leaders, lead singers, lead rappers, and lead dancers.
Seo Taiji and Boyz in the 90s. Members from left to right: Yang Hyun-suk, Seo Taiji, and Lee Juno
In the 1990s, there was a huge shift in South Korea's music with the introduction of hip-hop group Seo Taiji and Boyz. According to Aja Romano of VOX, they "were innovators who challenged norms around musical styles, song topics, fashion, and censorship. They sang about teen angst and the social pressure to succeed within a grueling education system, and insisted on creating their own music and writing their own songs outside of the manufactured network environment."
Their influence quickly caught on and soon, music labels were assembled in the mid and late 90s that became known as The Big 3 (the biggest labels in Korea): SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, and YG Entertainment (founded by Yang Hyunsuk of Seo Taiji and Boyz). Today, HYBE LABELS, which is home to BTS, is now becoming one of the largest labels in the industry.
In 1996, SM Entertainment debuted the 5-member boyband H.O.T. (short for "Highfive of Teenagers"); they were the first group to be categorized as an "idol group" - "idol" became the keyword for an artist in the KPOP industry.
In 1997, DSP Entertainment debuted a 6-member group named SECHSKIES (a rough translation meaning "Six Diamonds/Crystals" in German). There was rivalry between fans of H.O.T. and SECHSKIES and this is where the concept of "fanwars" originated in KPOP. In 2016, after 16 years of disbandment, SECHSKIES reunited and is now an active group once again.
Also in 1997, SM Entertainment then debuted the first idol girl group, S.E.S. (short for their names, Sea, Eugene, and Shoo); they also had a short reunion in 2016. Their debut song, "I'm Your Girl" features an intro with members of SHINHWA.
SHINHWA debuted in 1998 and are the longest active group in KPOP history; this year marked their 24th anniversary. They became SM Entertainment's second boy group.
H.O.T., SECHSKIES, S.E.S, BABY V.O.X., NRG, and SHINHWA are some of the founding groups of the first generation of KPOP and are cited as the inspiration for the generations who followed after. Many new debut groups tend to cover the songs of these senior groups.
The second generation of KPOP started in the early 2000s and contains groups like Epik High, TVXQ, SS501, Super Junior, Girl's Generation, BIGBANG, SHINee, 2PM, BEAST, 2NE1, MISS A, Wonder Girls, and many more.
The third generation started around 2012 and consists of groups such as BTS, EXO, BLACKPINK, Twice, Seventeen, GOT7, VIXX, Mamamoo, MONSTA X, and numerous others. Now, in 2022, we are in the fourth generation of KPOP where new groups are debuting more than ever; some of the fourth generation leaders include Stray Kids, ATEEZ, ITZY, and aespa.
KPOP artists are known for being highly trained triple threats, meaning they can sing, dance, and put on a heck of a show, some artists are even actors in film, TV, and stage. KPOP music videos are known for high budgets, film-like concepts and storylines, eye-catching colors, and impressive choreography.
The KPOP industry is also booming in physical album sales; that's right, KPOP fans still buy CDs (on top of streaming online as well). But what makes physical KPOP albums special? Though standard jewel cases are available (which is standard packaging: a small lyrics book + the CD), most KPOP albums are packed with goodies. An album can be the size of a small to large book that includes dozens of pages of photos, and options of photocards (trading cards), postcards, stickers, folded posters, polaroids, and other extras. One album can supply a fan with enough goodies to decorate their room or workspace with. Photocards are highly sought-after collectibles; like how many people collect baseball cards or Pokemon, collecting KPOP photocards is the pastime of many dedicated hobbyists.
Aside from exciting albums, many KPOP songs echo messages of positivity, self-love, reflection, social issues, and empowerment in their music. From songs like ITZY's "WANNABE" where they repeat "I just want to be me", Hwasa's "Maria"
which is about struggling with loneliness and criticism, 2NE1's "Ugly" which discusses body image issues, and Dreamcatcher's "MAISON" which is about climate change. In recent years, BTS started focusing on concepts of growth through dark times to learning to love oneself. Many KPOP artists' songs are relatable to their listeners.
Who are the listeners? You'll find KPOP fans of all ages, genders, and backgrounds across continents. Though it's hard to pinpoint concrete demographics, a study conducted by scholar Derek Laffan surveyed 1,477 KPOP fans and identified that the average age for a KPOP fan is 23 years old, that a little over 70% were female, 26.7% are male, 1.8% are non-binary, and 0.7% are transgender (7). However, if you end up on the side of the KPOP community on TikTok or at a concert, you'll find many fans who are 30+ years old.
Thinking of the several concerts I've attended, I've seen a huge variety in the demographics of fans. When I attended KCON in Los Angeles, I noticed that fans were from a multitude of races/ethnicities and were between their teen years to late 20s. When I attended the Korea Times Music Festival at the Hollywood Bowl, the majority of the attendees were Korean-Americans whose ages range from little kids to older adults (Grandparents' age!). It's pleasant to see the huge variety of fans!
KPOP has led many fans to new interests and hobbies. Many fans enjoy practicing choreography from their favorite songs, studying the Korean language, creating fan art and fan-made videos, and watching Korean films and TV.
During the birthdays of different artists, many fans will donate to charities in honor of the artist and will sponsor special birthday advertisements to be displayed throughout South Korea and other countries (some have even made it to Times Square in New York).
The Colors
Every KPOP group has an official color(s) which is usually reflected in their official light-stick. What is a light-stick? It's kind of like a fancy flashlight that can be connected to Bluetooth or NFC, so at a concert, the light-sticks can be controlled to create a gorgeous "ocean" of colors. Before light-sticks were created (which credit is usually attributed to G-Dragon of BIGBANG), fans used balloons to represent their favorite group's colors. Fans also perform "fan-chants" to accompany songs during live performances.
KPOP and The RWC Tutors
Are you wondering what artists to check out or impressions straight from fans? Well, take it from the RWC tutors who are fans of KPOP. They have your recommendations COVERED. The next section of this article includes profiles written by these excited tutor fans! You've heard of KPOP, now get ready for TUTOR-POP. The featured photos below are of each tutor's "bias" which is the term used by fans to mean "favorite member."
Kim Taehyung (stage name "V)" from BTS
"Listening to KPOP makes me feel ~ free" - Iman A.
Name: Iman A.
Top groups: BTS, TXT, ATEEZ
Fan Since: 2021
How I Discovered KPOP: I've always known about KPOP through my little cousin years ago but never got into it until recently. I've always wanted to get into it but just never knew where to start. In the beginning of last year, one of my best friends introduced me to her favorite group: ATEEZ & made me a playlist of KPOP songs that she thought I would like. I instantly became obsessed and loved the music. I slowly got into more groups throughout the year and before I know it--I'm a full blown ARMY, ATINY, MOA, etc. spending money on albums/merch, fangirling over new content, and listening to KPOP constantly.
Ultimate Biases (Favorite Members): Taehyung and Jimin (BTS), Yeonjun (TXT), Hongjoong and Jongho (ATEEZ)
Favorite Songs/Playlist Recommendations: "Drunk-Dazed" by ENHYPEN, "Shoot Me" by DAY6, "Dis-ease" by BTS, "No Rules" by TXT, "HOME" by BTS, "2nd Grade" by BTS, "Answer" by ATEEZ, "CRY FOR ME" by TWICE, and "Attention, please!" by ENHYPEN. Playlists linked here: 1, 2
What My Position In A KPOP Group or Industry Would Be: Vocalist, dancer, maknae (youngest member)
Impact KPOP Has Had On Me: KPOP has had a huge impact on my life and I just barely became a fan a year ago. Becoming a KPOP fan, I was instantly welcomed into such a vast, diverse community of loving people. Listening to KPOP makes me feel ~ free ~ it just has this booming energy I can't describe other than force-feeding you my KPOP playlist. People are often discouraged by KPOP because they "don't understand Korean" (I used to think the same way), but I learned that music transcends language barriers. If the music makes you feel something--who cares if it's in a language you don't understand? Also, it is not that hard to look up the translations and often when I do, I become more attached to a KPOP song because the lyrics resonate deep with me. KPOP allows one to truly express themselves. So, long story short, KPOP has had a large impact on my happiness and I wish I joined the community sooner.
What My Favorite Group Means To Me: My favorite group (BTS) means so much to me and I never thought they would have such a huge impact on my life. Before I became Army, I've always respected everything what BTS stands for but now learning so much about them and each individual member--they make me feel complete. They're literally the biggest group in the world and yet they still remain to be extremely humble. I've been a fangirl for over a decade and I have never received so much love and attention from my favorite artists more than BTS has. They give out so much love to ARMY; the love is mutual between ARMY and BTS & this brings me so much joy I can't put it into words. BTS is composed of the most talented 7 weirdos that make me feel open to be my authentic self and live life to the fullest. They've taught me to love every part of myself--the good and the bad--and to enjoy every moment.
BONUS: NEW BTS ALBUM 06.10.2022 !!!! 💜
Kim Areum
"..indescribable joy..." - Ulysses O.
Name: Ulysses O.
Top KPOP/Indie Artists: Bronze, JANE POP, Kim Areum
Fan For: 2 years
How I Discovered KPOP: Browsing around on YouTube..
Song On Repeat: "MAGENTA" by JANE POP
Impact KPOP Has Had On Me: In a way, yes it has. Whenever I come across a new genre of music, I get so invested in finding other artists in said genre that give me the same indescribable joy as personal favorites I've listened to for years. With KPOP it was no different, it was so fun discovering new faves to play on repeat.
What My Position In A KPOP Group or Industry Would Be: Songwriter
Jung Hoseok (J-Hope) of BTS
"BTS bring me comfort." - Annie B.
Name: Annie B.
Top groups: BTS, TXT, Seventeen, Red Velvet, Twice
How I Discovered KPOP: My friend was super into Seventeen. She always would hype them up and one night I caved and ended up pulling an all-nighter with her and binge-watched their reality show, One Fine Day; from there I became a fan.
What My Favorite Group Means To Me: My favorite group, BTS, brings me comfort and has brought me many opportunities to connect with other wonderful people in my life. Their music is filled with beautiful symbolism and meaning.
Song That's On Repeat: "Fairy of Shampoo" by TXT, "Rocket" by Seventeen, and "Moonlight" by Twice
Ultimate Bias (Favorite Member): J-Hope from BTS! An absolute ray of sunshine who is constantly bringing me hope :,)
Impact KPOP Has Had On Me: Kpop has honestly impacted my life a lot. The industry is always producing fun and unique concepts with album releases and being exposed to all of this has helped me discover my own fun and unique style. I have also made a lot of great friends because of kpop. I have always been a really shy person, but through kpop I have been able to open up to people a part of the kpop community and attend concerts, cup-sleeve events, and other places with the friends I have made.
What My Position In A KPOP Group or Industry Would Be: Vocalist, maknae (youngest member)
Im Nayeon of Twice
"I love something that's unironic and extra." - Haley S.
Name: Haley S.
Top groups: Red Velvet, BLACKPINK, 2PM, TWICE
How I Discovered KPOP: Girl's Generation was really popular for YouTube creators to set their AMVs (animated music videos) to; they're not actually kpop but my interest in anime and fandom definitely it got me into the sphere.
What KPOP Means To Me: The best of kpop to me means enjoying music that's dancey, super slick, and interesting. I love something that's unironic and extra. I think people who nerd out about kpop are having fun enjoying incredibly well-produced performances, just as legitimately (and by that same token, problematically) as any other fandom.
Song That's On Repeat: "Any Song" by ZICO
Ultimate Bias (Favorite Member): Im Na-yeon from TWICE
Impact KPOP Has Had On Me: I'm someone who's really insecure about dancing and I consider myself rhythmically challenged. But no one has to know that while I mime music video dances to myself in my chair.
What My Position In A KPOP Group or Industry Would Be: Leader, manager, security guard
BONUS: Stan Loona
Eun Jiwon (G1) soloist and member of SECHSKIES
KPOP "can be a very supportive and encouraging community." - Stephanie D.
Name: Stephanie D.
Top groups: Super Junior, SECHSKIES, SHINHWA, 2PM, WINNER, BIGBANG
How I Discovered KPOP: Like many folks, my intro to Korean pop was through the amazing PSY's "Gangnam Style". Later in 2012, during one of my excursions on YouTube, I saw a couple of recommended music videos which included "Mr. Simple" by Super Junior, "Boyfriend" by Boyfriend, and "Falling" by John Park. I rediscovered Super Junior in 2015 and have been a fan since.
What My Favorite Group Means To Me: Super Junior introduced me to the industry and I've seen them twice (I saw their subgroup D&E in 2017, and 6 members in 2019). A lot of my favorite groups have college-educated members which has been encouraging to me throughout my college journey. Many groups have gone through trying times but have the courage to move forward; I really admire that.
Song Recommendations: "Devil" by Super Junior, "Sad Song" by SECHSKIES, "This Love" by SHINHWA, "Go Crazy" by 2PM, "Love Is Not Over" by BTS, "Blue Moon" by BTOB, "Baby Baby" by WINNER, and "Solar Eclipse" by UNVS
Ultimate Biases: Kyuhyun (Super Junior), Jiwon and Suwon (SECHSKIES), Dongwan (SHINHWA), Seunghoon (WINNER), Eunkwang (BTOB), Seokjin (BTS), and Lay (EXO/soloist)
Impact KPOP Has Had On Me: KPOP groups have been the soundtrack of my college years; I like listening to upbeat/hype music to help keep me in a good mood, but there are also plenty of songs that are good for inward moments of reflection. Going to concerts have been some of my favorite moments in LIFE. I have met amazing friends and grown closer to friends because of our love of KPOP and our favorite groups. It can be a very supportive and encouraging community. I love hearing fans get excited talking about their favorite artists.
What My Position In A KPOP Group or Industry Would Be: Manager, publicist
BONUS: Music has no language barrier! Expand your horizons!
Christopher Bang (Bang-Chan) of Stray Kids
"...my favorite songs make me feel invincible and ready to conquer the world." - Rosa C.
Name: Rosa C.
Fan For: 1 year
Top artists: Stray Kids, DAY6, DEAN, BTS
How I Discovered KPOP: I've known about it through friends and acquaintances since high school, I was friends with some hardcore KPOP fans and they tried their best to turn me Army but it never really clicked. I didn't start actively listening to KPOP until recently, thanks to recommendations from friends and being exposed to certain groups and other K-genres through TikTok. Discovering more rock, hip-hop, RnB, and indie-oriented artists/groups was what sealed me in! :) On top of that, I think it was only a matter of time before I'd succumb since KPOP sort of overlaps with lots of my other fandoms and interests like anime, J-POP music, and Korean Manhwa.
Songs On Repeat: Die Die (feat. Choilb) - Giriboy, God's Menu - Stray Kids, Burn It- Agust D
Ultimate Bias: Bangchan (Stray Kids)
Impact KPOP Has Had On Me: A couple things: 1. I love how fun and active the KPOP community is. It is so bright and welcoming! Fandom culture is one of my favorite things so see thrive, whether it's through fan art, official or fandom-made merch, learning dances, twitter interactions. I love seeing how passionate everyone is about their favorite groups and the easy friendships—it's instant serotonin. 2. I love that the music is so expansive and there's something to fit my every mood. It never fails to lift my mood and some of my favorite songs make me feel invincible and ready to conquer the world.
What My Position In A KPOP Group or Industry Would Be: Leader, dancer, rapper, publicist, security guard.
"KPOP Music - Statistics." Daisuki, 2022, https://kpop.daisuki.com.br/kpop_statistics.html
Laffan, D. A. (2020). Positive Psychosocial Outcomes and Fanship in K-Pop Fans: A Social Identity Theory Perspective. Psychological Reports. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0033294120961524. [Link to article: https://journals.sagepub.com/eprint/ 7RFN3NQNZRFDYWR4C76V/full]
Romano, Aja. "How K-pop became a global phenomenon." VOX, 26 Feb. 2018, https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/2/16/16915672/what-is-kpop-history-explained


WASHINGTON — Alliance Defense Fund Senior Counsel Jordan Lorence and Family Research Council President and Marine veteran Tony Perkins will join veteran military chaplains at a press conference Wednesday in Washington, D.C. The event will announce the release of a letter to President Barack Obama and Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates, signed by more than 40 retired military chaplains. The letter addresses the chaplains' religious liberty concerns with the proposal to overturn the law against the practice of open homosexual behavior in the military, frequently referred to as the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law.
A live webcast will also be available of the press conference.
The letter outlines numerous practical ways that normalizing homosexual behavior in the military would necessarily harm religious liberty for both chaplains and service members.
In March, ADF sent its own letter to Obama and Gates expressing concern over how proposed changes to the law will affect military chaplains.


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Interview | Bingo Fury
Photo credit: Holly de Looze
Sam Stone is a journalist and audio documentary maker based in South East London. Lover of sweaty gigs, Dolly Parton trivia and fancy beer.
Bingo Fury is a character that feels like he exists solely in film. Most commonly found hunched over a piano, crooning into a microphone, viewed either half illuminated or in flattering hazy grey scale.
Following his first two releases 'Big Rain' and 'Happy Snake', Bingo's returned with his latest single 'Birchall & Kings', with a fittingly cinematic video to boot. Merging old-school aesthetics with DIY sensibilities, it's hard to pin down Bingo's next move. Sweet and endlessly modest, he tells me that the pulsating, frantic minute-and-a-half-long 'Birchall & Kings' sounds like a crossword puzzle being read out over the sound of a tumble dryer. We sat down to discuss summer festival plans, his upcoming EP and finding inspiration in the Bristol music scene.
Sam: Can you tell me about the band's origin story? How was Bingo Fury born?
Bingo: Henry, who plays drums, Meg, who plays bass, and I have been playing in bands together since we were really young. I think this is the fourth, or the fifth different project. It feels like it's always been going in the same direction from when we were 14 to now, just a constant progression, but via four different groups. Meg and Henry have a really strong connection because they've learned how to play together. They are really in tune with each other's ideas, which is super valuable.
In terms of Bingo Fury, I became more interested in all the things around an artist that aren't the music, how the visual effects and the songs can intertwine. You can do this world building thing with music videos and press shots. It got to a point where I felt very good about the song writing, and I wanted to make something that was a larger than just the songs. Doing a character seemed slightly more interesting to us than doing another band again. The words 'Bingo Fury' were lyrics in a song I had in my notes, I decided they sounded better as a name than anything else.
Sam: Does Bingo Fury feel like a distinct character to yourself?
Bingo: Most performers kind of detach themselves from what they're doing. Lots of people that like to write songs aren't very comfortable with being exposed and onstage. Even if you're not performing songs under a different name, you still have to do this thing in your head, where you distance it from yourself in order to have that confidence. I definitely had that in all the other bands. Having a character is doing the same thing, but you're labelling it as that, and you have a bit of a buffer to perform under. With a character you can present an ideal version of yourself. I don't think I'm particularly interesting or confident, but you can create a character who is.
A lot of the songs are quite emotionally heavy or come from quite an emotionally heavy place. On any given day, I might not be feeling it, or I might be feeling depressed or anxious or whatever. But the character is always in the headspace of where you were when you made it, and always in the feeling that you're intending in the song. It's an excuse to slip back into that and switch something in your head.
Sam: Could you place Bingo Fury in a musical family tree for me? Who would be Bingo Fury's musical parents or siblings?
Bingo: Two really close friends of mine, Ellie and Will, have a project called Robbie & Mona. We always joke about how Bingo Fury is related to them somehow. I absolutely adore their music and they've been a really fundamental part of Bingo Fury since the beginning. Ellie shot our artwork and Will recorded all the first demos. I guess we also have quite similar aesthetics, maybe not musically, but definitely visually.
If you're talking about influences, I really like stuff where you can tell that someone's really authentic, but they don't quite have the technical means to pull off whatever it is they're trying to do. Some of those artists would be like Beat Happening, DNA, Arto Lindsay, that kind of thing. On that other side, of more crooner cabaret piano stuff I really like stuff like Tom Waits. I really like Robert Wyatt; I like his song writing and his use of piano. He's paralysed from the waist down so he can't use a sustain pedal which is a huge part of playing piano. I like how he's worked around that and incorporated that into his style of playing.
In terms of aesthetic influences, I'm really into certain photographers like Robert Frank and Jim Jarmusch's early films like Stranger Than Paradise and Mystery Train. It's very classic looking, but there's always something in it that's slightly uneasy.
Sam: You mentioned fellow Bristol-based duo Robbie & Mona, has the music scene in Bristol shaped your sound?
Bingo: Yeah, absolutely massively. Only about 50% of where I'm coming from with music comes from listening to records and older stuff, and then the other 50% has been nurtured by Bristol's music scene. The Bristol music scene is just a very powerful force, there's always such an interesting variety and an inspiring selflessness, and community orientated attitudes. There was a good six months where I pretty much exclusively listened to Bristol music. I got really obsessed with trying to find every band that had ever been in Bristol. I was influenced by loads of older stuff like Maximum Joy and The Pop Group. Those Bristol bands in the punk era took whatever was happening in London, totally ripping it up, deconstructing it and rebuilding it in fucked up ways.
I guess it comes from the lack of industry in Bristol, no one's expecting to get a record deal or to have a fancy agent or a fancy manager. In London there is always going to be this thing subconsciously in your head where you never know if an A&R for 4AD could be at this Windmill show today. I feel like that does impact the music, even if it's subconscious. Whereas there's just not an inch of that in Bristol. Everyone's just really focused on the tight knit circle around them. Everyone's trying to bounce off each other and it's really inspiring. There's still loads of good music here, I'm never short for things to go and see.
Sam: Can you tell me more about your new single Birchall & Kings?
Bingo: It's quite an old song now, I probably wrote it about three years ago. It's kind of monotonous. It's only a minute and a half long and it's one note the whole way through and then me reeling off a shopping list effectively. It's pretty concise, slightly jarring, maybe slightly catchy. We've been playing it live for a long time and people always seem to respond quite well to that. About 50% of the song is Henry's drum, he just does one drum beat the whole way through and then it's just one note on top of that basically. It's a good introduction to Henry's drumming style, which is a very important part of the sound and is due to become more prominent within the recordings from this point.
Sam: Is Birchall & Kings going to be on an upcoming EP?
Bingo: We just recorded an EP last weekend. Birchall & Kings isn't going to be on it, that's just a standalone single. We'll have another song out in the summer and then the EP out autumn. I'm really, really happy with how it's sounding. We recorded three songs live at The Cube with the grand piano and it just sounds so sweet. The Cube is one of one of my all-time favourite places in Bristol. It was such a privilege to include that in our recording, to capture the sound of that room and have it immortalised in Bingo Fury music. I can't wait for people to hear that. Our friend Ben Woods, who does The Golden Dregs, produced it with me.
Sam: What else are you looking forward to this year?
Bingo: We're playing Green Man and End of the Road this year. I'm extremely excited about both, we were due to play End of the Road last year, but I got COVID, so it's been a long time coming for that. End of The Road is one of my favourite festivals. I haven't been to Green Man since I was 16 so that's going to be really fun. We're organising a headline tour with Robbie & Mona for the autumn and I'm really looking forward to that. I'm looking forward to having more music out too and continuing to write. We're writing for an album now so hopefully by the end of the year I'll have an album finished.
Sam: Do you have a dream goal for where Bingo Fury could go? Are there any venues you'd like to play or bands you'd love to be on a line up with?
Bingo: I want to make an album that I'm really proud of. I'm not sure about who to play with, I'm just enjoying playing with bands that I'm excited about at the moment. Naima Bock supported out last headline show and she's amazing. We've played before with Nukuluk and I'm a big fan of theirs. Hopefully the bigger shows come but I'm just enjoying these smaller gigs at the moment. Doing festivals like Green Man and End of the Road are all that I've ever wanted in terms of gigs so I'm totally currently happy with that. I just want to keep making music that we all enjoy playing.
Watch the video for Birchall & Kings here
By: Sam Stone
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The software for the FlashLite GPFS file systems will be upgraded on Tuesday 24 May in the time window between 8am and 6pm. This has the potential to cause jobs running during this window to crash.
The purpose of this upgrade is to bring the file system software is at the latest supported release. This will also enable additional GPFS (Spectrum Scale) functionality to support enhanced staging of research data between FlashLite and QRISdata research storage and other research computing and instrument platforms in the future.
Flashlite queues will be monitored and turned off (jobs are not starting) closer to the start of the window until after the GPFS work has been completed.
QRIScloud Support will send a notification confirming the work has been completed.
If you have any specific questions, please contact QRIScloud Support.
UPDATE: 2016-05-25 08:50 - The upgrade work was supposedly completed at 17:30 yesterday, but Flashlite login nodes are not reachable this morning.
UPDATE: 2016-05-25 11:00 - The Flashlite login nodes are now working.


PPTonTV is a powerful tool let you convert PowerPoint to Video,burn to DVD,and play it on TV.Very easy to use,requiring only few mouse clicks to create a full featured video.Supported the latest Microsoft PowerPoint 2007. Key features: 1.Easy to use. 2.Converts full-featured PowerPoint to video with sound track. 3.Accurate conversion: Keep all PowerPoint transitions,effect,animations and narrations. 4.Automatically determines optimal movie dimensions: 4:3 and 16:9 widescreen supported 5.Customize the output video:You may define a specific display resolution easily. 6.Convert PowerPoint file to video in MPEG format with excellent quality or burn PowerPoint to DVD directly. 6. Easy to use, User-friendly interface.


I am using a sticky transparent header and when scrolled it turns into semi-transparent color I choosed.. In my page layout; in "Header visibility and transparency" options : Transparent Header is selected.
This works perfect in desktop.
But in mobile view, I can not achieve this..
As soon as I remove this code, I see a gray background behind header. And I looked so many solutions here and none worked for me.
The sticky header acts fine when scrolled with semi-transparent color I choose.. But when not scrolled there is a gray background in header..
When I examined the code with chrome inspector, I realized that gray background comes from the below code.
And if I disable – position: static; – the gray background disappears.
How can I remove that gray background and have transparent header and when scrolled it turns in to semi-transparent color I choose (which works fine at the moment).
I also realized that, my enfold_child css is not overwriting the styles generated by theme in dynamic_avia folder inside upload.
No matter what I do, the styles inside dynamic_avia folder is showing.
This topic was modified 6 months, 2 weeks ago by indurango.
I have changed the folder to 775, can you please check now if everything is looking good?
No change.. Still gray background when NOT scrolled..
When scrolled things are OK.
And there is still gray background behind the header area in mobile..


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Plan to Protect Land, Water Presents Opportunity for Native Californians
Photo via iStock
GUEST COMMENTARY: I would like to see the state of California really listen to Native voices and ask them to help protect the environment.
I grew up on a small tribal reservation in coastal Mendocino County, the rancheria of the Manchester-Point Arena Band of Pomo Indians. Life "on the rez" is disconnected from our traditional land.
Juan Cruz Dominguez is a community organizer who was raised on the Manchester-Point Arena Band of Pomo Indians Rancheria in Mendocino County.
For example, our river, known as p'da:haw in Pomo language and the Garcia River in English, is very important to our culture. But until recently, our tribal members needed a special permit to fish in p'da:haw or to gather traditional plants there to make woven baskets. The rancheria also is cut off from the p'da:haw floodplain and from the Pacific Ocean, so we've never been able to harvest abalone, mussels and seaweed, or to conduct spiritual ceremonies on the beach.
With Native cultures, it is very important to be able to physically experience the natural environment, because there's no textbook. Instead, knowledge and traditions are passed down through oral culture. Without access to the places in our ancestral territories, a lot of the environmental knowledge that Native California Tribes hold can be lost.
Today, we have an opportunity to turn things around. California is implementing Gov. Gavin Newsom's "30by30" mandate, a policy to protect 30% of California's lands and waters by 2030. Newsom's executive order is an opportunity to recognize the Native American people who have cared for and belonged to California's special wild places for thousands of years.
I would like to see the state of California really listen to Native voices and ask the true inhabitants of the land how they feel about protecting the environment.
Take redwoods: I always knew that the trees were sacred to Pomo Indian people. But only recently I learned that our people used to use the redwoods to make tipi-style houses. Redwoods also store more carbon than any other tree, making them important for stopping climate change.
California's implementation of 30×30 can help protect the redwoods in Jackson Demonstration State Forest, an area that Cal Fire leases to commercial logging companies who are cutting down thousands of large redwood trees up to 200 years old.
Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians Tribal Chairman Michael Hunter
The Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians Tribal Chairman Michael Hunter recently pleaded directly with California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot to stop the logging, saying, "my people are the first people of this land … our sacred sites, our rivers, our streams … are being damaged right in front of our eyes."
Unless California listens to Pomo people, Cal Fire may soon approve more timber harvest plans in Jackson Demonstration State Forest.
As a Native Californian, I also hope to see conservation efforts like 30×30 recognize our indigenous connection to nature by giving land back to tribes to take care of, with funding to support the long-term management of these lands.
Another COVID Holiday: Is California in a Better Place This Year?
In Humboldt County, the Wiyot Tribe was finally able to reclaim Tuluwat, a 280-acre island in the middle of the Wigi, known as Humboldt Bay. But the Wiyot Tribe currently holds less than 1% of their ancestral lands, most of it is at low elevation and vulnerable to sea level rise. 30×30 could help identify private and commercial timberland parcels with high conservation-value and cultural significance, creating a pathway to return areas such as the Samoa Peninsula, Humboldt Bay and Bear River Ridge along Cape Mendocino, to Wiyot stewardship.
The 30×30 plan could also be a way to empower tribes like the Karuk, who are reinstating traditional "prescribed burning" practices to prevent wildfires on their land in Humboldt and Siskiyou counties. The Karuk Tribe are also fighting to remove dams along the Klamath River to restore salmon habitat and to reclaim the sacred Katimiin area, which they view as the center of the world.
As we mark Native American Heritage Month this November, let's commit to protecting California's nature and lands while healing the injustices that continue to affect Indigenous people today. California's 30×30 plan gives us an avenue to do both.
This guest commentary by Juan Cruz Dominguez first appeared on CalMatters and is made available as part of the CalMatters Network. Dominguez is a community organizer who was raised on the Manchester-Point Arena Band of Pomo Indians Rancheria in Mendocino County. He is the host and producer of the "Burn the Wagon" series on Instagram and YouTube. The "Burn the Wagon" series allows Native people to share their stories and culture. He lives in Santa Cruz on the lands of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band.
Commentaryenvironment
WHATMATTERS: Vaccine Mandates Multiply Across California
AAA Invites Public to Monthly 'Healthy Aging' Virtual Education
Men Suffer Major Injuries in Calexico-area Hit-and-Run Accidents; Suspect Comes Forward


text:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/rudy-giuliani-john-bolton-are-leading-candidates-for-next-secretary-of-state-1479156004
Rudy Giuliani Seen as Top Pick for Secretary of State
Aides to President-elect Trump are focusing on the former New York City mayor; former U.S. Ambassador to U.N. John Bolton also being considered
Rudy Giuliani talks with WSJ Editor-in-Chief Gerry Baker at CEO Council about how Donald Trump's first appointments will handle party differences and respond to the voters that brought Trump into office.
By Damian Paletta
and Jay Solomon
Updated Nov. 14, 2016 11:03 pm ET
WASHINGTON—Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani is the leading candidate to be President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of state, people familiar with the matter said, a move that would elevate a well-known national figure to become the U.S.'s chief diplomat.
Mr. Trump's aides have also considered former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton as a possible candidate, but the close relationship between Messrs. Giuliani and Trump was a major consideration, the people said.
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Together, we're powerful. Join thousands of everyday Australians who share your passion for change.
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Our campaigns are made possible by the generosity of people like you. Every bit counts.
Help us build change from the ground up. Our community organising program, Movement For Life, is a great place to start. You can also volunteer your expertise at your local campaign centre.
Join the community organising program putting the power back in the hands of people who care.
By making a monthly contribution, you'll automatically become a full member of the Wilderness Society. You can also buy a standalone membership for $50 per year.
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news canada
Canada Toronto actor-brothers Stephan James and Shamier Anderson launch The Black Academy
16:13 03 december 2020 Source: msn.com
These Reading Apps Will Ensure Your Favorite Books Are Always With You
And most are free.
Scarborough-raised actors Stephan James and Shamier Anderson are busy with major Hollywood projects but they haven't forgotten their Toronto roots. James , who has a leading role in Amazon Prime Video's "Homecoming," and his brother Shamier Anderson , one of this year's TIFF Rising Stars
Stephan James (born December 16, 1993) is a Canadian actor . After starring in a string of television series as a teenager, he rose to prominence upon winning a Canadian Screen Award for Best Actor for his role as track and field sprinter Jesse Owens in the 2016 film Race.
TORONTO — When Toronto-raised actor Stephan James got the inaugural Radius Award at last year's Canadian Screen Awards, he felt incredibly honoured but also a bittersweetness.
© Provided by The Canadian Press
The elation from being presented the trophy by his brother and fellow actor Shamier Anderson, while their friends and family tearfully watched from the audience, grew complicated when James realized: "I was probably going to be one of maybe a few Black people that were going to step on that stage that night."
"Something about it was just unsettling," the Golden Globe-nominated star of the Amazon Prime Video series "Homecoming" said in a recent interview from Los Angeles.
The Evolution of Elliot Page, From 'Trailer Park Boys' to 'The Umbrella Academy' (Photos)
Nova Scotia-born Elliot Page got his start as a child actor in the 1997 TV movie "Pit Pony," and over the course of his 23-year career has played many memorable roles. And on Monday, in only the latest example of Page's longstanding, outspoken advocacy for LGBTQ equality, he came out as trans a Dec. 2 Instagram post, saying "I love that I am trans, and I love that I am queer," an announcement celebrated by fans and peers alike. In the following gallery, trace Page's evolution from child actor to trailblazing television and indie film star to activist and advocate and revisit some of his best performances.
The Toronto actor brothers are back home for the annual B.L.A.C.K. Ball, which this year is partnering with the Toronto International Film Festival fo Rising Hollywood stars Shamier Anderson and Stephan James admit it's early in their burgeoning careers, but they feel a responsibility to inspire
Stephan James and his brother Shamier Anderson have partnered with the Canada Media Fund to inspire a younger generation of diverse talent. Stephan James , star of If Beale Street Could Talk and Amazon's Homecoming, and his brother Shamier Anderson , who stars in season three of Amazon's
"It was unsettling for myself, it was unsettling for Shamier."
Anderson and James are now taking steps to change that experience for Black Canadians in various lines of work — from arts and culture, to sports and science.
On Thursday, they launched The Black Academy, a new national division of their not-for-profit group B.L.A.C.K. Canada (Building A Legacy in Acting, Cinema + Knowledge), which they started about five years ago as a gala fundraiser in Toronto.
The brothers are still figuring out the details of exactly what the Black-led academy will do.
But they say it will be a permanent, year-round operation to honour, celebrate and showcase established and emerging Black talent, both anglophone and francophone, across the country.
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As the embodiment of kindness, generosity, and Yuletide beneficence, Santa Claus presents some mighty big black boots, much less a red suit, for any actor to fill. But jolly old Saint Nicholas has appeared in the movies for as long as the movies have existed, and here are some of our favorite actors who've steered the sleigh (not counting Billy Bob Thornton and anyone else who has played a guy who is pretending to be Santa): Kurt Russell in "TheAs the embodiment of kindness, generosity, and Yuletide beneficence, Santa Claus presents some mighty big black boots, much less a red suit, for any actor to fill.
Stephan James , Actor : If Beale Street Could Talk. Stephan James was born on December 16, 1993 in Scarborough, Toronto , Ontario, Canada. - The 2019 Academy Awards (2019) Brother of actor Shamier Anderson . See more ». Star Sign
List of black Academy Award winners and nominees. Language. Watch. Edit. This list of black Academy Award winners and nominees is current as of the 91st Academy Awards ceremony, which was held on February 24, 2019.
"Shamier and I truly feel like it was our calling to have this placed on us now, and we're stepping into that calling," said James, whose film credits include "If Beale Street Could Talk," "Race" and "Selma."
"But the reality is, there's been a glaring gap for a long, long time."
Planned initiatives at the academy include awards presentations, educational programming, community outreach and panel discussions.
The bigger-picture goal: to break down barriers of discrimination and combat systemic racism in Canada for decades to come.
"That's how you create generational change," James said. "We're not for the moment. We're Black 365 days a year, we live in this experience in our own work life and our personal lives. And so this is really a place that is going to be around for the short term and for the long term."
The Canada Media Fund is providing financial support to the academy, through its Black and People of Colour (BPOC) Sector Development initiative, but the brothers are looking for more corporate partners who share their vision and mission to combat systemic racism.
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Stephan James Shamier Anderson Photos - (L-R) Stephan James , guest, Shamier Anderson , and guest attend "Endings, Beginnings" premiere during the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival at Ryerson Theatre on September 08, 2019 in Toronto , Canada.
Beyoncé and her philanthropic foundation BeyGOOD have been stepping up to the plate to aid the Black community as COVID-19 rages on in the And on Thursday, the official BeyGOOD Instagram announced that they have partnered with the NAACP to launch The Black -Owned Small Business
"The time is now," said Anderson, whose credits include the series "Wynonna Earp," the upcoming sci-fi thriller "Stowaway" and the boxing drama "Bruised," which marks Halle Berry's directorial debut.
"We've seen from our American counterparts that they've built things like the BET awards, the NAACP awards, the Soul Train Awards — and the list continues. And it's important that in Canada we now have our platform, our stage, our infrastructure — for us, by us."
And it's important to change the optics in the media, he added.
"If we can get the same love that 'Schitt's Creek' got at the Emmys, which was so incredible, it would be so great to now see the next Black show, the next Black producer, the next Black artist, the next Black athlete," Anderson said.
"I was such a proud Canadian when I saw 'Schitt's Creek' sweep, I was like 'Yes!' And now I'm looking forward to having somebody who looks like us as well."
The brothers have started to assemble what they call the academy's "Avengers" board of directors team, which the brothers will co-chair.
Board members who've signed on so far include Vanessa Craft, director of content partnerships at TikTok in Canada; Alica Hall, executive director of the Nia Centre for the Arts; and Wes Hall, founder of the firm Kingsdale Advisors.
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Disney unveiled dozens of new films and TV shows for Disney+ during its investor day Thursday and confirmed several others. Here is a rundown of what is headed to the streamer in the coming weeks, months and years. The list is split up by division — ranging from Lucasfilm, Marvel and Pixar to Disney Animation, National Geographic and more. Here are the titles, premiere dates (if announced) and brief descriptions:More from DeadlineDisney Investor Day Review: It's All About Streaming, 'Star Wars' & Marvel, Stupid; Bob Chapek Shows Steady Hand In CEO RoleMarvel Studios' New 'What If...
Other board members include Jennifer Holness, president of Hungry Eyes Media; Divya Shahani, an entertainment lawyer at Miller Thomson LLP; and actress-producer Tonya Williams, founder of the Reelworld Film Festival and Reelworld Screen Institute.
The board has only been able to meet via video conference, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the brothers are determined to launch now.
As the world faces a racial reckoning in the wake of the George Floyd killing and policy brutality protests, they want to create something that lasts longer than a "hashtag moment."
"The reality is, we're still breathing," Anderson said, "we're very fortunate, and there are other Black people who don't have the opportunity to still be alive, to even see the next day, pandemic or not pandemic.
"So this is why seeding this and founding this now, getting ahead of the game, getting ahead of what's to come."
Anderson and James grew up in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough, in a northern community housing project called Bay Mills.
"They were gruelling times," Anderson said from Toronto. "Ten years ago was a very different time in our life."
It's an experience they'll never forget and it's why they feel a responsibility to try to help others now, said the brothers, who are also ambassadors for the Equity and Inclusion Fund at the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television.
"If we have resistance, given our position in this industry, I can't imagine a little Black boy or girl at (the Toronto community of) Jane and Finch who wants to get out," Anderson said.
"Like Stephan says, you have to see it to believe it sometimes. And this is why the academy is formed. This is why two brothers under 30 are forming it with an Avenger team."
Victoria Ahearn, The Canadian Press
Once unimaginable, Army now owns rivalry series against Navy .
Army's 15-0 win vs. Navy - its first shutout of the Midshipmen since 1969 - highlights changing fortunes in rivalry after long run of Navy dominance."This was the best game that nobody got to see," Army coach Jeff Monken said. "The fog rolled in and it almost seemed appropriate for the battle that was taking place out there. I mean, it was a slugfest. Three plays and punt. Three plays and punt. You just kept battling back and forth.
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Stephan James , Shamier Anderson on returning to Toronto for
Scarborough-raised actors Stephan James and Shamier Anderson are busy with major Hollywood projects but they haven't forgotten their Toronto roots. James , who has a leading role in Amazon Prime Video's "Homecoming," and his brother Shamier Anderson , one of this year's TIFF Rising Stars www.youtube.com
Stephan James ( actor ) - Wikipedia
Stephan James (born December 16, 1993) is a Canadian actor . After starring in a string of television series as a teenager, he rose to prominence upon winning a Canadian Screen Award for Best Actor for his role as track and field sprinter Jesse Owens in the 2016 film Race. en.wikipedia.org
Stephan James ' and Shamier Anderson 's message for | The Star
The Toronto actor brothers are back home for the annual B.L.A.C.K. Ball, which this year is partnering with the Toronto International Film Festival fo Rising Hollywood stars Shamier Anderson and Stephan James admit it's early in their burgeoning careers, but they feel a responsibility to inspire www.thestar.com
Stephan James & Shamier Anderson Team With Canada Media
Stephan James - IMDb | Hide Show Actor (31 credits)
List of black Academy Award winners and nominees - Wikipedia
Stephan James , Shamier Anderson - Stephan James and - Zimbio
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AIHR Analytics
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How to Make People Analytics Strategically Relevant
How to Make People Analytics…
An idea that I often hear is that "People Analytics should be used for strategic purposes" (or something along those lines). While I agree with the statement in general, I also think it tends to be subjected to tunnel vision. The explanation that I regularly hear is about how one should find analytics cases worth the time by deducing them from the organization's overall strategy.
While there is nothing wrong with a top-down approach that takes strategy as the starting point per se, a bottom-up or issue-driven approach could also bring strategic value. In the end, it is about impact and useful results. To get there, both approaches have their merits and pitfalls. In this article, I will present a five-item checklist that you can use to judge a project's viability and discuss the pros and cons of approaches that put either strategy or issue first.
A mental checklist
In estimating whether a case makes for a viable project, I mentally go through the following checklist:
Leadership backing: is the case thematically relevant to our (top) management?
Lasting impact: do we propose a (scalable) solution that addresses cause over symptom?
Business case: if we provide the solution, what do we expect to gain from it, exactly?
Clear deliverables: what does (the building of) our solution look like in terms of results?
Sense of urgency: are people itching to have this solution sooner rather than later?
I like to start by establishing whether our line of thinking about a case or theme could secure sponsorship (leadership backing). If so, we can proceed by ensuring that what we would be working on is forward-looking and not transient in nature (lasting impact), e.g. due to changes in the legislature in the near future that would render the issue moot.
Once that is clear, it becomes worthwhile to estimate what we stand to gain (business case), which forces us to define the problem and potential benefits of a solution. When we know that, we can check to see if we can design an actual solution and approach to get there (clear deliverables), as well as determine if our efforts would weigh up against the business case.
When we've checked all of these boxes, one still remains: are people anxiously awaiting our deliverables, and does our sponsor (leadership backing) share that sense of urgency?
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Top-down: strategy-driven
If you are looking for a worthwhile case to work on, deducing one from strategy has clear benefits: with a direct link to strategy, securing backing for your efforts will be easier and you'll be working on something with relevance to the future of the organization.
A public services organization started a multiple-year leadership development program as part of its strategy. Even though it was still unknown what should be analyzed or quantified exactly, the suggestion to use data to assess the effectiveness of the program during and after its run was met with enthusiasm by the directors due to the strategic importance of strong leadership. As such, the people analytics efforts could count on strong sponsorship from the start. Several avenues were explored to settle on a handful of metrics that would still be used after the conclusion of the program.
While Example 1 may not show it, there are also downsides to using strategy as a starting point. The biggest is that there is often no clear problem definition. The fact that most strategies are worded in broad terms that can be interpreted differently from person to person does not help in the matter. Lacking exact definitions, it can be hard to determine and communicate what problem you are solving and for whom, exactly. This leads to the following potential downsides:
No clear business case (if the problem is not clear, the potential benefits aren't either)
No clear deliverables (there is a risk of winging it until something useful is found, whatever and whenever that may be)
No sense of urgency, making it hard to maintain strong sponsorship (strategy is long-term and high-level, and attentive project backing may lose out to more pressing concerns)
In other words, if it is unclear what the benefits of your analyses may be and what you are to deliver, sponsors may choose to invest their time in other matters instead.
A large corporate valued its employees and aimed for internal career progression and high retention rates. The people analytics team, therefore, developed a flight risk model that incorporated career history and showed which profiles were more likely to leave. It was constructed so that follow-up analyses or targeted action would be possible. The model showed promise. It estimated costs associated with flight risk and could be improved depending on how it was to be used. However, one unanswered question was what the retention rates should be exactly, and therefore how much of a concern the identified risks were and to whom. These questions did not need to be answered immediately and so more pressing issues were tackled first. The model was applauded and subsequently put on hold indefinitely.
What sets Examples 1 and 2 apart is the fact that the first identified and tied into an issue: the decision was already made to start a leadership development program with all the costs involved. Analytics came in to provide metrics to help monitor effectiveness and return on investment, which were clear concerns. In other words: business case, deliverables and sense of urgency were all present.
In the second example the problem seemed clear at first, i.e. how do we improve retention? Because of that the team was off to a good start only to stall when it became clear that the targets regarding retention and flight risk were still a matter of debate. As a result, there were gaps in the business case, no clear direction to pursue for further development (i.e. no clear deliverables) and no sponsor with a sense of urgency to get the model finished and in use.
Bottom-up: issue-driven
In my experience, (people) analytics teams frequently get asked to help when specific issues arise: high absenteeism in call centers, trouble recruiting for technical profiles, estimates on the number of people willing to move to a new location, etc.
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The upside of such requests is that the business case and deliverables can usually be made clear very quickly. Moreover, there is a sense of urgency to ensure involvement of a 'problem owner' throughout the project: there is an actual issue to solve and someone reached out for help.
Example 3 – Part 1 of 2
A hospital's team of nurses was suffering from high absenteeism, contributing to understaffing. Costs were on the rise and put pressure on the budget, in part due to hiring temps. Difficult decisions had to be made to ensure the quality of care. The manager had already reached out for help to the HR Business Partner. After initial attempts to turn the tide, an analytics team was asked for help so that continuity and quality of care could be maintained long-term.
Whereas a case with strategy as a starting point may lack a sense of urgency, the biggest pitfalls of the issue-driven approach are due to the desire for results on short notice. The focus can fall squarely on the question at hand, introducing the following risks:
Poor lasting impact (working on a localized solution or patch, rather than a scalable and forward-looking solution)
Limited leadership backing (it may not be clear how the issue is relevant to the greater organization nor how it relates to strategy)
If you consciously address the two risks above, you can get a good indication of whether the question at hand makes for a worthwhile case, from a strategic viewpoint. If a scalable solution with clear ties to the organization's strategy is plausible, there is a strong case for taking on the project even if it seems like an operational issue at first.
Persistent operational issues will generally have developed over time and become problems when targets are not met. Chances are that addressing the root causes and helping these targets to be met ties into the organization's strategy somehow.
To ensure high-quality care, the hospital's strategy explicitly aimed to tackle understaffing. Moreover, employee vitality was part of the people strategy. A quick look at the data showed that teams providing similar care were likely also struggling with understaffing and absenteeism. Moreover, teams throughout the hospital claimed to struggle with the same themes. Rather than focus on one team, the case was made to work on a solution for the hospital, which was backed by the HR director. This allowed for the rapid development of a dashboard with early warning indicators for absenteeism and better planning and use of an internal 'flex pool' to maintain team capacity.
In Example 3 there are several things that could have been investigated using data. The quick fix might have been to help determine the optimum between the remaining team capacity and the maximum number of patients that could be admitted. While valuable, that solution might no longer be relevant if absenteeism returned to normal levels and could (inadvertently) be team-specific. The contribution to strategy would then be limited.
By looking beyond one team and clarifying how the issue relates to the overarching strategy, both a direction for a scalable solution and backing from top management was attained. This resulted in an outcome that is ultimately more valuable to the organization; now and in the future.
To summarize the above, both approaches (strategy-driven and issue-driven) have checkboxes that are easier to tick (in blue) and checkboxes that may require more attention (the unticked ones):
STRATEGY-DRIVEN ISSUE-DRIVEN
Leadership backing ☑ ◻
Lasting impact ☑ ◻
Business case ◻ ☑
Clear deliverable(s) ◻ ☑
Sense of urgency ◻ ☑
The strategy-driven approach benefits from generally clear relevance to top management, but risks focusing on a problem that no one regards as such yet. You then need to find a 'buyer' for your solution. When starting from strategy, it may be worthwhile to pay extra attention to the business case, deliverables and whether a sense of urgency is present or can be created.
The issue-driven approach tends to be easier to run a project for – but selecting and executing cases with strategic value and senior sponsorship usually requires conscious effort to place the initial question in a bigger picture and ensure lasting impact. When you put in that effort, you may also find that the initial business case and deliverables change somewhat; usually becoming more impactful.
Please note that I do not think that cases that seemingly lack strategic relevance should always be discarded: just beware that they may need to make way for cases that are deemed to be of strategic importance and of sufficient urgency. Being aware of the strong and weak aspects of projects according to the checklist above can be helpful in determining where projects stand with respect to each other.
In short: both strategy-driven and issue-driven approaches have their merits. In the end, it is up to you to decide what works best in your situation.
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Jornt de Gruijl is a data-driven innovator: an experienced data scientist and management consultant with a background in AI and neuroscience. As such, he helps organizations take People Analytics to the next level and develop innovative solutions to align strategy and employee needs and wants.
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Navi Pillay
Bill to stifle flow of information poised to pass in Japan
December 3, 2013 2:57 PM EST
New York, December 3, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists is gravely concerned by a new state secrets bill before the Japanese parliament, which, if passed, would broaden the government's power to determine which information can be kept secret.
CHOGM leaders should urge media freedom in Sri Lanka
November 5, 2013 2:07 PM EST
Dear Commonwealth Heads of Government: The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) was set up more than 40 years ago with the aim of working together toward shared goals of democracy, freedom, peace, and the rule of law. In the past, formal meetings and private retreats at the summit have served as a platform for member states to discuss issues that affect all nations, such as apartheid in South Africa and the electoral dispute in Zimbabwe.
Critical Sri Lankan newspaper editor held at knifepoint
August 26, 2013 3:47 PM EDT
New York, August 26, 2013–Five unidentified men entered the Colombo home of a Sunday Leader associate editor and writer early Saturday morning, held her at knifepoint, and searched her home, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Sri Lankan authorities to conduct a thorough and efficient investigation into the attack on…
UN rights chief should push Sri Lanka on press freedom
When the human rights watchdog for the United Nations visits Sri Lanka this weekend she should forcefully address the government's problematic record on press freedom.
Rajapaksa regime under UNHRC, Commonwealth scrutiny
February 22, 2013 12:00 PM EST
On February 13, Navi Pillay, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, said in her annual report to the U.N. Human Rights Council (UNHRC) that Sri Lanka's government has not taken enough steps recommended by its own Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC). Although the LLRC is seen as a flawed attempt to heal Sri Lanka…
A litmus test for Kyrgyzstan's anti-corruption campaign
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In Pakistan, UN human rights chief meets with Jahangir
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, in opening remarks at her press conference in Islamabad on Thursday, addressed a wide range of problems in Pakistan, including those faced by journalists. (The full statement is on the website of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.) What was especially gratifying was her…
EU, UN officials in Pakistan must make time for Jahangir
June 5, 2012 12:47 PM EDT
There is no better time than now for U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay and EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton to step out of their tightly planned schedule of meetings in Pakistan and make a trip to the home of human rights activist Asma Jahangir.