Research from Syracuse University's Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) was cited in Washington Post, Arizona Republic and Arizona Daily Star articles on the backlog of cases in the nation's immigration courts and failures to fill judicial vacancies. Additionally, the New York Times City Room blog and Main Justice web site included reports.
A Rochester Institute of Technology presentation by David Cay Johnston, distinguished visiting lecturer in the College of Law and Whitman School, about returning to prosperity in America was reported in the Sunday business section of the Democrat and Chronicle.
The Bennington Banner (Vt.) and Albany Times Union (third item) reported on a Clark Art Institute presentation by Judith Meighan, associate professor in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, about the artwork of Giovannni Boldini.
The Madison County Courier previewed a presentation by Milton C. Sernett, professor emeritus of history and African American studies in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences, on the history of tractors and agricultural work.
Johanna Keller, director of the Goldring Arts Journalism Program and associate professor in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, is quoted in a National Public Radio "All Things Considered" article on composer Samuel Barber. Audio links are also available.
Rick Burton, David B. Falk Professor of Sport Management in the College of Human Ecology, wrote a New York Times article on Stephen Crane, author of "The Red Badge of Courage," and his experience with baseball at SU in 1891. Burton also wrote a column for the Sports Business Journal (subscription required) on the Paralympics and is quoted in a Los Angeles Times article on the Dodgers and Manny Ramirez.
The "Marc Steiner Show" on WEAA radio (Baltimore, Md.) featured Paula Johnson, professor in the College of Law, and the Cold Case Justice Initiative's response to the recent FBI announcement that it plans to close most of the pending investigations on civil rights cold cases. A podcast is available here.
Amy Leal, instructor in The College of Arts and Sciences English department, wrote an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education about the proliferation of Jane Austen/vampire mashup books.
Jack Matson, director of staff relations and recruitment in SU's Office of Human Resources, wrote on re-entering the workforce for the Post-Standard Moneywise section.
SU student Jared Diamond is quoted in a Poynter Online story about launching of The Ebert Club, a new online business model and subscription-based club for fans of the film critic Roger Ebert.


text:
A Brief History of Solitary Confinement
Dickens, Tocqueville, and the U.N. all agree about this American invention: It's torture.
Eastern State Penitentiary, c. 1876. Via Wikimedia Commons.
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Jean Casella and James Ridgeway | Introduction to Hell Is a Very Small Place: Voices from Solitary Confinement | The New Press | February 2016 | 20 minutes (5,288 words)
Below is Jean Casella and James Ridgeway's introduction to Hell Is a Very Small Place, the collection of first-person accounts of solitary confinement which they edited together with Sarah Shourd, as recommended by Longreads contributing editor Dana Snitzky.
Imagine you're locked in the cell, and don't know if you'll ever get out.
Imagine a corridor flanked by closed, windowless cells. Each cell may be so small that, inside, you can extend your arms and touch both walls at the same time. The cell contains a bunk, perhaps a solid block of poured concrete, with a thin plastic mattress, a stainless steel toilet, maybe a small table and stool. A few personal possessions—books, paper and pencil, family photos—may be permitted, or they may not. The door to the cell is solid steel.
Imagine you're locked in the cell, and don't know if you'll ever get out. Three times a day, a food tray slides in through a slot in the door; when that happens, you may briefly see a hand, or exchange a few words with a guard. It is your only human contact for the day. A few times a week, you are allowed an hour of solitary exercise in a fenced or walled yard about the same size as your cell. The yard is empty and the walls block your view, but if you look straight up, you can catch a glimpse of sky.
Imagine that a third to a half of the people who live in this place suffer from serious mental illness. Some entered the cells with underlying psychiatric disabilities, while others have been driven mad by the isolation. Some of them scream in desperation all day and night. Others cut themselves, or smear their cells with feces. A number manage to commit suicide in their cells.
You may remain in this place for months, years, or even decades. UN officials and a host of human rights, civil liberties, and religious groups have denounced as torture the conditions in which you live, and yet you remain where you are.
This place is located not in some distant authoritarian nation or secret black site abroad, but here on American soil. In fact, places like it exist in every state in the union, many within sight of cities and towns. On any given day in the United States, supermax prisons and solitary confinement units hold at least eighty thousand men, women, and children in conditions of extreme isolation and sensory deprivation, without work, rehabilitative programming, or meaningful human contact of any kind.
These individuals live out of sight and, to most, out of mind. The conditions of their confinement have, with a few exceptions, been condoned by the courts and ignored by elected officials. As a result, over the past three decades, the use of solitary confinement in U.S. prisons has grown into one of the nation's most pressing domestic human rights issues—yet until recently, it has also remained one of the most invisible.
Those who endure solitary have long been buried, nameless and voiceless, in the dark heart of the American criminal justice system. Their experiences take place within the context of the history of solitary confinement in the United States, its present-day workings, and the costs borne by both the human beings who endure it and the society that countenances its continued use.
It does not reform, it kills.
Accounts of people confined alone in dungeons or towers abound in stories dating back to ancient times. But solitary confinement as a self-conscious, organized, and widespread prison practice originated in the United States, and was born soon after the nation itself.
In 1790, the Walnut Street Jail, named for the Philadelphia street on which it stood, was expanded to hold the growing prison population of a burgeoning city. The expansion included the addition of a new kind of cellblock where sixteen individuals were held in single cells, built in such a way as to prevent communication with one another. The individuals held in these cells were not put to work, but were left alone in their cells to contemplate their crimes and, if all went as planned, become "penitent"—thus the name of the new block, Penitentiary House.
This innovation took place under the influence of a group calling itself the Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons, which met for the first time in 1787 at the home of Benjamin Franklin. The Society was populated largely by Quakers, who believed in punishment for crimes, but also believed that all human beings were capable of redemption. They saw the new regime offered at Penitentiary House as a kinder and more effective alternative to more viscerally cruel punishments such as flogging, the public humiliations of the pillory and stocks, and the misery of filthy, violent, overcrowded jails.
Michel Foucault argues that the desire to treat those convicted of criminal offenses more "humanely" was rooted not only in Enlightenment ideas but also in the shifting power structures brought on by political and industrial revolutions. Early prison reforms served a pragmatic as well as a moral purpose, replacing the arbitrary and violent punishments of sovereigns with a more controlled and technocratic system of punishments befitting public power.
The new approach spread quickly. At Auburn Prison in upstate New York in 1821, eighty people were placed in solitary confinement in a new wing. Alexis de Tocqueville and Gustave de Beaumont, in their 1833 treatise on U.S. penitentiaries, described the result:
In order to reform them, [the convicts] had been submitted to complete isolation; but this absolute solitude, if nothing interrupts it, is beyond the strength of man; it destroys the criminal without intermission and without pity; it does not reform, it kills.
The unfortunates on whom this experiment was made fell into a state of depression so manifest that their keepers were struck with it; their lives seemed in danger if they remained longer in this situation; five of them had already succumbed during a single year; their moral state was not less alarming; one of them had become insane; another, in a fit of despair, had embraced the opportunity, when the keeper brought him something, to precipitate himself from his cell, running the almost certain chance of a mortal fall.
Tocqueville and Beaumont also noted that "this system, fatal to the health of the criminals, was likewise inefficient in producing their reform" since upon release most reoffended within a short time. Within a few years, solitary confinement was abandoned at Auburn. Instead, men were put to work together during the days.
Nevertheless, in 1829, Pennsylvania opened Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, with an eventual capacity to hold two hundred fifty men and women in solitary confinement. Like today's solitary cells, those at Eastern State had feeding slots in their doors and individual exercise yards to limit contact with both guards and other incarcerated individuals. On the rare occasions when they were moved outside, the occupants of these cells wore masks. They were allowed no reading material but the Bible, and they worked silently in their cells on such tasks as shoemaking or weaving.
A hood worn by prisoners in solitary confinement outside their cells, c. 1875. Via Wikimedia Commons.
One of the earliest—and still one of the most eloquent—critics of solitary confinement was Charles Dickens, who visited Eastern State Penitentiary on his tour of the United States in 1842. Dickens walked the prison's hallways, which he described as shrouded in an "awful" silence, and visited with several of the "penitents," whom he called men "buried alive" and cut off from "the living world." The writer concluded:
I believe that very few men are capable of estimating the immense amount of torture and agony which this dreadful punishment, prolonged for years, inflicts upon the sufferers; and in guessing at it myself, and in reasoning from what I have seen written upon their faces, and what to my certain knowledge they feel within, I am only the more convinced that there is a depth of terrible endurance which none but the sufferers themselves can fathom, and which no man has a right to inflict upon his fellow creature.
I hold this slow and daily tampering with the mysteries of the brain to be immeasurably worse than any torture of the body; and because its ghastly signs and tokens are not so palpable to the eye and sense of touch as scars upon the flesh; because its wounds are not upon the surface, and it extorts few cries that human ears can hear; therefore the more I denounce it, as a secret punishment which slumbering humanity is not roused up to stay.
As the observations made by foreign visitors were increasingly validated over time, what had come to be called the Pennsylvania System was all but entirely replaced by the Auburn System of communal hard labor. While most prisons maintained some version of "the hole," where individuals were placed for short-term punishment or separation, through the late nineteenth century and most of the twentieth, long-term isolation existed only in exceptional cases. The so-called Birdman of Alcatraz, Robert Stroud, was sentenced in 1916 to life in solitary only as a condition of the commutation of his death sentence for murdering a prison guard—and at Alcatraz he occupied a relatively roomy open-fronted cell, where he reportedly played checkers with guards through the bars.
From 1995 to 2000, the number of individuals held in solitary increased by 40 percent.
The heir to Alcatraz was the U.S. Penitentiary in Marion, Illinois, which opened in 1963, the same year the notorious island prison was closed. Marion was built to hold "difficult to control" men in the federal prison system, and over the next decade it evolved into the "end of the line" prison for individuals deemed dangerous or disruptive. In 1973, H-Unit at Marion was officially designated the Long-Term Control Unit, with all those held in the unit subjected to around-the-clock solitary confinement and a "behavior modification" program. In the ensuing years, the federal Bureau of Prisons floated several proposals to turn the entire prison into a control unit.
On October 22, 1983, in two separate incidents, two corrections officers at Marion were killed by men held in the Control Unit. Although the perpetrators were immediately identified, the entire prison was placed on lockdown—and essentially, never taken off—and the supermax prison was born.
While the Marion lockdown may have provided the model for modern-day solitary confinement on a broad scale, a number of factors, all of them closely linked to the rise of mass incarceration, provided the impetus. These included, first and foremost, a rapid growth in incarceration rates due to increased criminalization of behavior, lengthening sentences, and the widespread elimination or diminution of parole. The United States now incarcerates approximately one in one hundred adults, a rate that significantly outpaces Russia and China and dwarfs all European nations.
During the same period, beginning in the late 1970s, prisons largely abandoned any notion of rehabilitation. Meanwhile, the United States was undergoing a massive shift toward the deinstitutionalization of people with mental illness. They were supposed to receive treatment and support in the community once they left psychiatric hospitals, but such services were grossly lacking.
These developments led to extreme prison overcrowding, and with it, a rise in prison violence. Because they had abandoned faith in rehabilitation, prison administrators' only remaining strategy was to crack down harder, piling punishment upon punishment, and more extreme confinement on top of confinement.
Pelican Bay State Prison. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the idea of units or whole prisons designed for "total control" rapidly gained traction. In 1989, California opened Pelican Bay State Prison in the remote redwood forests. The now notorious 1994 Crime Bill provided $9.7 billion in funding to build new prisons, and many states used their federal grants to build control units or entire supermax prisons. Ten years later, through a period of decreasing crime rates, forty-four states and the federal government had constructed supermaxes housing approximately 25,000 people in extreme isolation. In 1993, Dr. Craig Haney, an expert on the psychological effects of solitary confinement, wrote:
Because of the technological spin that they put on institutional design and procedure, the new super-maximum security prisons are unique in the modern history of American corrections. These prisons represent the application of sophisticated, modern technology dedicated entirely to the task of social control, and they isolate, regulate, and surveil more effectively than anything that has preceded them.
Nearly every prison and jail in the country also developed a solitary confinement unit of some kind. In the five-year period from 1995 to 2000 alone, the number of individuals held in solitary increased by 40 percent, and by 2005—the most recent year for which figures are available—a U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics census of state and federal prisoners found more than 81,622 people held in "restricted housing." The census figures do not include individuals in solitary confinement in juvenile facilities, immigrant detention centers, or local jails; if they did, the numbers would certainly be higher, likely exceeding one hundred thousand.
Reasons ranging from 'failing to speak English when able,' watching the Spanish channel on television, trying to translate for another detainee… and playing cards instead of attending church services.
Solitary confinement is the practice of isolating people in closed cells for twenty-two to twenty-four hours a day, virtually free of human contact, for periods of time ranging from days to decades. Solitary confinement cells generally measure from six by nine to eight by ten feet. Some have bars, but more often they have solid metal doors. Many do not have windows. Meals generally come through slots in these doors, as do any communications with prison staff. There may be showers within the cells, or inhabitants may be taken, in shackles, to shower two or three times a week. They may also be escorted to a fenced or walled yard for an hour of exercise, usually only on weekdays, or they may be released into an area adjoining their cells through a remote-controlled door. Most, although not all, will be permitted to have books as well as legal papers, and to send and receive letters. Some may be allowed visits, usually through a Plexiglas barrier. A few may have radio or television.
Few prison systems use the term "solitary confinement" to describe this kind of incarceration, instead referring to prison "segregation." Most systems make a distinction between various reasons for solitary confinement. "Disciplinary segregation" or "punitive segregation" is time spent in solitary as punishment for violating prison rules, and usually lasts from several weeks to several years. "Administrative segregation" relies on a system of classification rather than actual behavior, and often constitutes a permanent placement, extending from years to decades. "Involuntary protective custody" is especially common among children in adult prisons, LGBTQ individuals, and others deemed at risk of victimization at the hands of other prisoners, who live in indefinite isolation despite having done nothing wrong.
Cells, tiers, and prisons designed for the purpose of isolation are known by a series of euphemisms that vary from state to state, including Special Housing Units, Security Housing Units, Special Management Units, Intensive Management Units, and Behavioral Management Units. To the people who inhabit them, they are the SHU (pronounced "shoe"), the Box, the Hole, the Bing, or the Block.
Far from a measure of last resort reserved for the "worst of the worst," as many proponents claim, solitary confinement has become a control strategy of first resort in most prisons and jails. Today, incarcerated people can be placed in complete isolation for months or years not only for violent acts but for possessing contraband—including excess quantities of pencils or postage stamps—testing positive for drug use, or using profanity. In New York, about 85 percent of the thirteen thousand terms in disciplinary segregation handed down each year are for nonviolent misbehavior. The system is arbitrary, largely unmonitored, and ripe for abuse; individuals have been sent to solitary for filing complaints about their treatment or for reporting rape or brutality by guards.
Walled prison yards for prisoners in solitary. Via Wikimedia Commons.
In California, for example, the California Code of Regulations, Title 15 Section 3315, outlines two dozen "Serious Rule Violations" that can result in placement in the SHU. These include "Possession of five dollars or more without authorization," "Tattooing or possession of tattoo paraphernalia," "Participation in a strike or work stoppage," and "Self mutilation or attempted suicide for the purpose of manipulation."
About half of the people held in California SHUs may have committed no offense at all; instead, they are held in solitary because of the gang "validation" process, in which anyone deemed an active gang member is sent to an initial six-year term in the SHU, which can be extended to decades. Gang validation can take place based in large part on anonymous accusations. Commonly, these anonymous charges come from validated individuals in the SHU, for whom the only hope for early release has been summarized as "parole, snitch, or die." People have also been suspected of gang membership simply by possessing the book The Art of War or making reference to prison activist George Jackson.
While reliable data on the use of solitary confinement according to race is scarce, sampling indicates that African Americans are even more overrepresented in solitary confinement than they are in the prison system in general. Muslims charged with terrorism-related offenses, including vague "material support" charges, are likely to land in extreme solitary confinement both pretrial and post-conviction. Others with radical political beliefs—especially racial minorities such as members of the Black Panther Party or the Black Liberation Army—are often classified as safety risks and placed in administrative segregation indefinitely.
Over the past thirty years, in the wake of deinstitutionalization, prisons and jails have become the nation's largest inpatient psychiatric centers. The Treatment Advocacy Center estimated that in 2012, more than 350,000 people with serious mental illness were housed in prisons and jails, while a tenth as many—about 35,000—were in state mental hospitals. Many enter prison on relatively minor charges, then rack up additional charges as they act out because of untreated illness, and end up spending a lifetime cycling in and out of jail. Solitary confinement cells, in particular, are now used to warehouse thousands of people with mental illness, as well as people with developmental disabilities, physical disabilities, and substance addictions. Human Rights Watch estimated, based on available state data, that one-third to one-half of those held in isolation had some form of mental illness.
Children under the age of eighteen are not excluded from solitary confinement.* In fact, anecdotal evidence suggests that juveniles placed in adult prisons and jails are disproportionately likely to land in disciplinary segregation because of immature misbehavior, or to be held in involuntary protective custody. A 2012 report on youth solitary published by Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union estimated that "in 2011, more than 95,000 youth were held in prisons and jails. A significant number of these facilities use solitary confinement—for days, weeks, months, or even years—to punish, protect, house, or treat some of the young people who are held there."
People who are LGBTQ also find themselves isolated "for their own protection." Yet they find anything but safety while in solitary. One investigation of transgender women held in men's prisons in New York State found that most had experienced prolonged solitary confinement, and many had been subjected to rape and other sexual abuse by prison staff while in isolation.
Even migrants held in detention in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities, whose only alleged crime is crossing the border, are frequently held in solitary confinement. With even less oversight than prisons and jails in general, ICE facilities, many of which are privately run, have placed individuals in solitary for reasons ranging from "failing to speak English when able," watching the Spanish channel on television, trying to translate for another detainee, complaining about the quality of the drinking water, having an extra blanket, and playing cards instead of attending church services, according to a 2012 report.
The tens of thousands of Americans in solitary confinement have not been sent there by judges or juries.
Even within the purely punitive model of incarceration, people are supposed to be sent to prison as punishment, not for punishment. According to the law, deprivation of freedom alone is supposed to be the price society exacts for crimes committed. The additional suffering that happens inside prison—whether it is violence and brutality, rape, or solitary confinement—can therefore be seen as extrajudicial punishment. Solitary, in particular, operates as a "second sentence," or a "sentence within a sentence," doled out without benefit of due process.
The tens of thousands of Americans in solitary confinement have been sent there not by judges or juries, who by design have little to say about what happens to people once they pass through the prison gates. Instead, they are condemned to isolation based on a "classification" that is handed down by prison officials. Or they are sent to solitary following charges of misconduct that are levied, adjudicated, and enforced by prison officials.
Eastern State Penitentiary, now a museum. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Many prison systems have a hearing process, but such hearings are seldom more than perfunctory. Prison officials serve as prosecutors, judges, and juries, and the incarcerated are rarely permitted representation by defense attorneys. Unsurprisingly, in most prison systems, they are nearly always found guilty.
Few people in American society have as much unrestrained control over the fates of other people as do prison wardens. The United States has virtually none of the checks and balances found in most European societies—no prison ombudsperson, no inspector of the prisons, no independent monitoring bodies made up of ordinary citizens with access to prisons. Incarcerated people themselves have been disempowered by the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA), a 1996 law limiting their ability to sue in federal courts. To mount a successful lawsuit against prison conditions, individuals must first exhaust the prison's internal grievance procedures—often at risk of retaliation by prison guards—and then must show that they suffered significant "physical injury." Despite evidence of the extensive damage it causes, long-term solitary confinement has been deemed not to meet the physical injury requirement under the PLRA.
What does it mean to share the world with millions of people in cages?
The complete isolation and sensory deprivation of solitary confinement has been shown to cause a panoply of psychiatric symptoms, detailed in a briefing paper from the American Civil Liberties Union's National Prison Project:
Research shows that some of the clinical impacts of isolation can be similar to those of physical torture. People subjected to solitary confinement exhibit a variety of negative physiological and psychological reactions, including hypersensitivity to stimuli; perceptual distortions and hallucinations; increased anxiety and nervousness; revenge fantasies, rage, and irrational anger; fears of persecution; lack of impulse control; severe and chronic depression; appetite loss and weight loss; heart palpitations; withdrawal; blunting of affect and apathy; talking to oneself; headaches; problems sleeping; confusing thought processes; nightmares; dizziness; self-mutilation; and lower levels of brain function, including a decline in EEG activity after only seven days in solitary confinement.
The body of evidence showing that these effects are ubiquitous and lasting—even permanent—is constantly growing.37 And it is increasingly bolstered by studies of the neuroscience of isolation's effects. What solitary confinement does to the brain was the subject of a panel at the 2014 annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, where University of Michigan neuroscientist Huda Akil noted that the effects of lack of physical activity, of interaction with other human beings and with the natural world, of visual stimulation, and of touch have all been studied in both humans and other animals. "Each one," she said, "is by itself sufficient to change the brain, and change it dramatically, depending on whether it lasts briefly or is extended. And by extended I mean days, not decades.
In dire cases, solitary confinement leads to extremes of self-mutilation, and the rates of suicide in solitary far exceed anything found in general prison populations. One study of the New York City jail population found incidences of self-harm were seven times higher among individuals held in solitary confinement. While 7 percent of the jail population was held in isolation, 53 percent of all acts of self-harm took place there, ranging from cutting to banging heads against walls to suicide attempts. Others held in solitary have gone as far as self-amputations of fingers and testicles, even self-blinding. Likewise, about 50 percent of incarcerated people who take their own lives do so while in isolation. The challenges of suicide in a bare cell have driven some to such acts as jumping headfirst off their bunks and biting through the veins in their wrists.
Considering the damage it wreaks upon body and soul, it is hardly surprising that solitary confinement is associated with higher recidivism rates, particularly when people are released back into the community directly from solitary confinement. Several of the writers included in this book describe their difficulties reintegrating into society—being in crowded places, relating to other people, or simply being touched. In several instances, release directly from solitary has been linked to extreme violence, as in the case of Evan Ebel, who killed two people in Colorado—including, with tragic irony, Corrections Director Tom Clements, who had worked to reduce the use of isolation in the state's prisons.
In addition, despite claims to the contrary, solitary confinement does not reduce levels of violence in prison. A study published in 2015 found that short-term disciplinary segregation had no measurable effect on violent behavior in Texas prisons. Other evidence suggests that violence levels actually drop significantly with decreases in the use of solitary confinement.45 One study found that far more assaults on guards took place in isolation units than in the general prison population. A veteran Oregon corrections officer told a commission studying the use of prison segregation that solitary "creates an 'us versus them' mentality on both sides," while a Mississippi warden testified: "The environment . . . actually increases the levels of hostility and anger among inmates and staff alike."
Solitary confinement cells at Alcatraz. Via Flickr.
In addition to its public safety costs, solitary confinement carries a high price tag for taxpayers. Nationally, it has been estimated that the average cost of a year in a supermax prison is $75,000—two to three times the cost of housing someone in general population.47 According to one calculation, in 2010–11 California spent at least $175 million in additional costs per year to house some twelve thousand individuals in isolation. Solitary confinement has also been associated with significantly higher construction costs per cell. For example, Wisconsin's Boscobel supermax facility was built to house five hundred people at a cost of $47.5 million in 1990 dollars, or more than $95,000 per bed.
More difficult to calculate are the human costs not only to those who suffer in solitary, but to the rest of us in free society. "What does it mean," Lisa Guenther asks in this volume, "to share the world with millions of people in cages?" How does it affect our humanity to dehumanize others to such an extent that we allow them to live in conditions unfit for any animal—and do so in the name of our own safety and well-being?
Supermax prisons and solitary units themselves are virtual domestic black sites, resolutely off limits to the public and the press.
Until quite recently, solitary confinement was the most pressing domestic human rights crisis that most Americans had never heard of. In the past several years, however, the issue has entered the consciousness of a large cross-section of Americans for the first time.
In 2008, advocates from across the country gathered to address solitary confinement at a conference hosted by the American Friends Service Committee. In 2009, the New Yorker published a seminal article on solitary, "Hellhole" by Atul Gawande, who joined a small group of dedicated journalists in pioneering coverage of the subject. Solitary Watch, which we founded the same year, had the aim of bringing the issue "out of the shadows and into the light of the public square."
In 2010, the Vera Institute of Justice began its Segregation Reduction Project, working with states to decrease the numbers of people they held in solitary. The American Civil Liberties Union's National Prison Project also convened a meeting of its state affiliates and other legal advocates, and in 2011 it launched its "Stop Solitary" campaign involving education, litigation, and legislation. The National Religious Coalition Against Torture (NRCAT) likewise launched a new initiative focused on torture in U.S. prisons and jails, organizing faith-based groups across the country.
On July 1, 2011, men held in solitary confinement in Pelican Bay State Prison—some for as long as two or three decades—went on a hunger strike to protest their conditions. It was to be the first such hunger strike, with the third, held in 2013, drawing some thirty thousand participants in California prisons at its height, and lasting two months. A class-action lawsuit, mounted by the Center for Constitutional Rights on behalf of men at Pelican Bay, followed and eventually led to a settlement that would release nearly two thousand from solitary.
In August 2011, Juan E. Méndez, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, produced a comprehensive report on the use of solitary confinement and made a series of strong recommendations that, if effected, would end virtually all prolonged solitary around the globe—"prolonged" defined as lasting beyond fifteen days. Méndez became a dedicated, high-profile opponent of the use of prison isolation in the United States. He made repeated requests to the U.S. government to conduct fact-finding visits to American state and federal supermax prisons, all of which were denied or ignored.
In 2012, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Human Rights held the first-ever congressional hearing on "Reassessing Solitary Confinement: The Human Rights, Fiscal, and Public Safety Consequences," which drew written testimony from close to one hundred advocacy groups and individuals and led to an internal audit of the Federal Bureau of Prisons' use of "segregated housing."
By 2015, dozens of pieces of legislation had been introduced placing new limits on the use of solitary confinement and a few had been passed. Several states had instituted policy reforms leading to reductions in the numbers of individuals held in solitary confinement, particularly children and people with mental illness. Movements to end solitary confinement have sprung up in many states, and personages no less than Pope Francis and Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy have voiced their concerns about the practice.
In July 2015, in a wide-ranging speech on criminal justice reform, President Barack Obama announced that he had directed Attorney General Loretta Lynch to "start a review of the overuse of solitary confinement across American prisons." The president continued, "Social science shows that an environment like that is often more likely to make inmates more alienated, more hostile, potentially more violent. Do we really think it makes sense to lock so many people alone in tiny cells for 23 hours a day for months, sometime for years at a time? That is not going to make us safer."
But for all this activity, the numbers of people in solitary do not appear to have dwindled by more than a few thousand, out of tens of thousands. And reforms that remove some individuals from solitary, distinguishing between those who "belong" in isolation and those who do not, risk driving some people deeper into the hole.
Opponents of solitary also contend with the fact that data on the use of solitary confinement is thin. Supermax prisons and solitary units themselves are virtual domestic black sites, resolutely off limits to the public and the press. The only fully realized reports of what goes on in these places are provided by the people who inhabit them, or who have survived time in solitary. Yet theirs are often the last voices to be listened to, on the premise that people in prison cannot be trusted and their stories cannot be believed.
This excerpt originally appeared in Hell Is a Very Small Place: Voices from Solitary Confinement, published by The New Press, and is used here with permission.
*Footnote: In January 2016, President Obama announced a ban on holding juveniles in solitary confinement in federal prisons. [Return to where you left off.]
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Posted by Dana Snitzky	on February 9, 2016
Categories: Books, Featured, Nonfiction, Story
Tags: Books, longreads, solitary confinement
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


What kind of governance is currently being practiced for cities in hazardous environments and how effective is this governance? For the developing and developed countries the governance issues are different, because they comprise different social and economic structures and are often located in different geographical areas. Some cities have long experiences with their environments and their populations have learned from experiences while others have only fleeting interests because they lack active engagements. Rapid population growth in cities will continue and produce megacities of tens of millions of people where the social, economic, and safety problems must compete for resources, where the crumbling infrastructure must be replaced, where the cities of tomorrow must become the smart cities, and where these cities should not only be resilient but also sustainable together with their environments. The contributions to this preparatory session on city governance should present the current efforts being practiced to confront the governance of such cities and present case studies with both successful and failed governance, so that in a subsequent session on city governance future governance practices can be better defined and implemented for producing more resilient and sustainable human habitats.


Mayor Herman Mashaba's attitude is 'very scary'.
Throughout Mashaba's term in office' he has been accused of fuelling xenophobia by making unconstitutional statements about foreign people living in the city.
The Africa Diaspora Forum (ADF) says these statements are "reckless" and "fire kindling". In a statement released earlier this month' the ADF said that it worried these remarks "may incite more xenophobic violence".
Mashaba has been quoted widely saying that "foreigners' whether legal or illegal' are not the responsibility of the city" and that "[the city of Johannesburg] will only provide accommodation exclusively to South Africans".
Mashaba plans to clean up the city centre to invigorate economic growth. To do so' Mashaba aims to "expropriate" run-down buildings in the city centre to sell them to private investors' evicting residents "by force" if necessary.
City of Johannesburg workers have gone on strike in solidarity with their colleagues who have been arrested for fraud.
Attempts to contact Mashaba about whether the investors will be commercial or residential developers were unsuccessful.
Mashaba has also been quoted calling on foreign aid organisations like the United Nations to step in and "assist" with what he calls a "crisis" of foreign people living in the city. "He must be precise about what he wants to do with migrants'" ADF chairperson Marc Gbaffou said. He regards Mashaba's attitude as "very scary".
In Mashaba's 10 point plan for Johannesburg's economic growth in September last year' he was quoted as saying he intends to "make Jo'burg great again" by making the city "business friendly".
In a statement released last week' Mashaba said his administration was "committed to ensuring [they] stop the rot" of undocumented migrants living in the city. The next day on Twitter he said that by conducting raids on inner city buildings' he is "reclaiming the city from criminals".
Mashaba claims that 80% of people living in "hijacked" buildings are undocumented immigrants.
The Socio Economic Rights Institute (Seri) has questioned these figures' claiming that far more South African citizens are living in abandoned buildings in the inner city than people from other countries. Seri has called plans to forcibly evict people from these buildings "unconstitutional" and "inhumane".
The ADF opened a case with the South African Human Rights Commission (HRC) in February this year.
GroundUp has been unable to get hold of the HRC to find out the status of this investigation.
In February this year' Groundup reported on a march against migrants hosted by the Mamelodi Concerned Residents group. Many claimed that xenophobic comments by Mashaba spurred on the protestors.


text:
Creating opportunities Updated: 11 May 2018
Proactivity lands BBVA Compass a small business banking award from Greenwich Associates
Over the past year, BBVA Compass has been recognized for by the Small Business Administration, in local markets, regionally and nationally, for its small business lending efforts. Most recently, though, it's the bank's proactive advice for small business owners that helped it snag another award.
Listen to audio
BBVA Compass Global Wealth team honored by Greenwich Associates award for customer service
BBVA Compass' Global Wealth team was honored recently after it was recognized for its overall operations and customer satisfaction. The bank's team was one of a small handful of wealth management providers to be recognized in the 2016 Greenwich Excellence Awards in Wealth Management.
Greenwich Associates, a market intelligence provider for the financial industry, named BBVA Compass one of four regional small business banking winners in the west in its Proactively Provides Advice award category. The award marks the third time since late-2016 that the firm has recognized the bank's efforts in client services.
It's the passion of our employees that puts us over the top.
"While our products and services for small businesses are some of the top in the financial industry, it's the passion of our employees that puts us over the top," said BBVA Compass Small Business Banking Executive Elizabeth Dobers. "We say it all the time that small businesses are cornerstones to the thriving communities in our footprint, but our actions and advice in helping those businesses flourish reflect our words. Our mission of creating opportunities, and putting that mission to practice, helped us earn this recognition."
In total, Greenwich recognized 33 banks after evaluating more than 600 across the country. When determining award winners, Greenwich sends a bank's clients a survey in order to evaluate excellence levels.
To qualify for consideration for the National awards, each winning bank had to have a minimum of 50 clients that responded to the survey. To qualify for Regional awards, each winning bank had to have a minimum of 30 clients responding in the region.
For more information on Greenwich Associates, click here.
For more information on BBVA Compass Small Business products, click here.
Salaries and pensions


Brass, silver, copper and everything in between will bring a glam addition to your holiday decor. From shiny tabletop upgrades to stylish twists on tinsel must-haves, these finds will give your interior a seriously festive makeover.
Whether or not you live in a cold weather climate, a snowy holiday wish makes a playful addition to any room of the house. This silver "Let It Snow" wall hanging is all you need to add a trendy touch to your interior in an instant. Drape it over the fireplace, use it as a makeshift photobooth backdrop during parties or simply hang it on a wall for merry thoughts. One thing's for sure, this glittery find will delight every guest.
Santa may be known for his jolly belly and bushy beard, but this sleek silhouette is a version we can't help but love. Its gold hue and next-level reflective finish ensures that this accent will stand out amongst the rest of those traditional shades of green and red. It's sometimes hard to gauge the size of a decorative figure from an image, but let us assure you that this stylish Saint Nick stands at 18 inches tall, so he's sure to be the center of attention as always.
Christmas decorations often fall under the "more is more" category, but that doesn't need to be the case for your home this year. Minimalist touches — like this simple tree — make for a modern scene stealing alternative. Whether you have a tree set up or not, bring in a metallic tabletop option to spruce up any lackluster surface areas that require a festive upgrade.
Wreaths undoubtedly bring a homey vibe to any door or wall they're hung on, but if you're jonesing for an untraditional alternative (read: sick of cleaning up pine needles off of the floor), this glitzy find is exactly what you need. With its sparkling qualities this eye-catching essential will transform any space. Whether you hang it up or place it around a candle as a tabletop showstopper, you're in for an instant boost in holiday style.
With their twinkly qualities, lights are a must this time of year. Whether they're around the tree, adorning the windows or simply hanging on the wall, they're always welcome. Searching for options other than classic Christmas bulbs? These copper wire LED lights will do the trick. The copper twine adds just the right amount of metallic flair to the otherwise standard lights. Because of the wire's bendable qualities, you can get creative with how you display these glimmering copper additions.
Tiny trees are the perfect way to bring some seasonal style into your home without going over the top. Studio apartments, children's bedrooms, kitchens and every room in between will get a holiday boost this year thanks to these small-scale tinsel options. Whether you opt for champagne or copper, one of these oh so cute additions will look perfect when propped on top of a table or tucked away in a cozy corner amongst throw pillows and blankets.
Adding festive flair to all nooks of your home is a must, and these extra shiny silver balls will help you create a swoon-worthy winter wonderland. From the mantel to the entryway, any empty spot will get an upgrade from glimmering garland. The bendable wire is covered in a bright blue tape to create an icy contrast with the attached silver balls. String these over the doorway or lay them down the center of your table for a gleaming update that's sure to wow.
Woodland critters are synonymous with holiday decor, but if you're looking for a way to keep those nostalgic feelings going strong while introducing more modern elements, these shimmering figures will do wonders for your curated vignettes. Mix and match a few of these metallic options with your existing decorations for a fresh take on the holiday favorites, or simply place them on their own for a bold statement that won't disappoint.
The glow of Christmas lights is charming on its own, but becomes even more cozy with the help of an abundance of candles kept on display. In order to achieve a grand impact, consider snagging some traditional taper options that have been updated with a metallic finish. With their gold sheen and ombre effect, these candlesticks will turn your tablescape into a dreamy setup with major seasonal style.
Whether you carefully weave it in between tree branches or tack it to the wall, this rose gold garland is guaranteed to wow. The garland itself has plenty of metallic appeal, but becomes even more whimsical thanks to the inclusion of extra LED lights and glossy glass ornaments that hang along it from start to finish.
Shop our picks for a haute and haunting Halloween porch.
Party like a pro and toast the start of a new year with these fab finds.
Gather the ghouls, then cast a spell over your All Hallow's guests with these 3 products that are scary good.
Sometimes it takes two to make a thing go right: find the perfect two-person costume concept this Halloween.Keep in mind: Price and stock could change after publish date, and we may make money from these links.
Come December, almost everyone is in the holiday spirit. Lights are hung, trees are trimmed and tinsel lines every nook and cranny of the house. But what do you do when you apartment takes merry little Christmas to a whole new level of small? Don't miss out on the holiday cheer. Whether you're a Grinch without an extra inch or your place qualifies for the nice list in regards to square footage, these festive pieces are the perfect size for your space.


For the Deer Head: 7 yarn colors: purple, hot pink, tourqise, yellow, grey, pink and orange.
For the Unicorn Head: 6 yarn colors: purple, turquoise, yellow, white, pink and hot pink.
For the Zebra Head: 5 yarn colors: black, white, hot pink, turquoise and purple.
For the Unicorn Head: grey.
For the Zebra Head: black.
AN IMPORTANT PERSONAL NOTE: This is my work, my art and my passion. It is very important for me to ask you to keep the pattern and kit for personal use and respect my hard work. Do not use this pattern, kit, or any parts of it commercially. Always give credit for the design & pattern when sharing your result with others e.g. "Design & Pattern by Hadar Kaplan / Manafka Mina".


text:
package cmd

import (
	"log"
	"os"
	"runtime"

	"github.com/garthk/nag/naglib"
	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
	"github.com/spf13/viper"
)

var cfgFile string
var nrpeCfgFile string

var RootCmd = &cobra.Command{
	Use:   "nag",
	Short: "Nag yourself to fix all the things",
	Long: `
Nag yourself to fix anything broken, by running Nagios plugins for you.

Read https://github.com/garthk/nag for more details.`,
	Example: `  nag list
  nag check
  nag check check_load
  nag run -- /usr/lib/nagios/plugins/check_load -w 15,10,5 -c 30,25,20
  nag run -S -- /bin/test -d /var/log/apache2`,
	DisableAutoGenTag: true,
}

func Execute() {
	if err := RootCmd.Execute(); err != nil {
		printStatusLine(naglib.UNKNOWN, err.Error())
		os.Exit(int(naglib.UNKNOWN))
	}
}

func init() {
	cobra.OnInitialize(initConfig)

	RootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&cfgFile, "config", "", "", "config file (default is $HOME/.nag.yaml)")
	RootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&nrpeCfgFile, "nrpe-cfg", "c", defaultNrpeCfgFile(), "NRPE config file")
	RootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolP("critical-warnings", "W", false, "Upgrade WARNING to CRITICAL")
	RootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolP("critical-unknowns", "U", false, "Upgrade UNKNOWN to CRITICAL")
	RootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolP("critical-excess", "X", false, "Upgrade excess (>3) exit status to CRITICAL")
	RootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolP("tolerant", "x", false, "Pass excess (>3) exit status as-is, not as UNKNOWN")
}

func defaultNrpeCfgFile() string {
	switch runtime.GOOS {
	case "darwin":
		return "/usr/local/etc/nrpe.cfg" // brew install nrpe
	case "linux":
		return "/etc/nagios/nrpe.cfg"
	default:
		return "/etc/nagios/nrpe.cfg"
	}
}

func initConfig() {
	if cfgFile != "" {
		viper.SetConfigFile(cfgFile)
	}

	viper.SetConfigName(".nag")
	viper.AddConfigPath("$HOME")
	viper.AutomaticEnv()

	if err := viper.ReadInConfig(); err == nil {
		log.Println("Using config file:", viper.ConfigFileUsed())
	}
}


text:
Q: How to apply Angular ngForm to components that are in a recursive relationship? I'm a noob, trying to make a simple self-test app for highschool students.
I simply retrieve the exam/test as JSON from the backend (MongoDB+NodeJS) to this ExamComponent:
ExamComponent
In this ExamComponent that I have circled in red, I then loop over the JSON data which looks like this:
"id": 2300,
            "description": "Test description here",
            "part_id": null,
            "test_version": 1,
            "question_id": null,
            "parent_id": null,
            "question_type": "section",
            "title": "Section I  –  LISTENING (20 points)",
            "texts": null,
            "items": [
                {
                    "id": 2301,
                    "description": "Part description here",
                    "part_id": null,
                    "test_version": 1,
                    "question_id": null,
                    "parent_id": "2300",
                    "question_type": "part",
                    "media": "anglicky-jazyk-B1-nahravka-2019-01.mp3",
                    "title": "Part 1: Fashion Designer Isaac Mizrahi (7 points)",
                    "texts": [],
                    "items": [
                        {
                            "id": 1,
                            "description": "What naturally influenced the very young Mizrahi in his love of fashion, was his",
                            "part_id": 1,
                            "test_version": 1,
                            "question_id": 1,
                            "parent_id": "2301",
                            "question_type": "multiple",
                            "media": null,
                            "title": null,
                            "texts": null,
                            "possibilities": [
                                {
                                    "description": "father's hobby connected with an old family tradition",
                                    "pid": 1,
                                    "ordering": 1,
                                    "qid": 1,
                                    "correct": false,
                                    "correct_value": ""
                                },
                                {
                                    "description": "father's occupation and his mother's love of fashion",
                                    "pid": 2,
                                    "ordering": 2,
                                    "qid": 1,
                                    "correct": true,
                                    "correct_value": null
                                },
                                {
                                    "description": "father's occupation and his mother's clothes shop in New York",
                                    "pid": 3,
                                    "ordering": 3,
                                    "qid": 1,
                                    "correct": false,
                                    "correct_value": null
                                },
                                {
                                    "description": "father and mother's family business located in New York",
                                    "pid": 4,
                                    "ordering": 4,
                                    "qid": 1,
                                    "correct": false,
                                    "correct_value": null
                                }
                            ]
                        }

as said, I traverse the JSON tree by looping *ngFor of the entire JSON and @Input the respective "json branches" down to the SubExamComponent (which is visible in the 1st screenshot):
Looping of JSON data
ExamComponent:
      <span (click)="openDialog(test_with_questions)" style="cursor: pointer;">✏</span>

    <form #myTemplateVar="ngForm" (ngSubmit)="boom(myTemplateVar)">

        <div *ngFor="let item of test_with_questions; let i = index;">
            <app-sub-exam [model]="item" [parentItemIndex]="i"></app-sub-exam>
        </div>

        <button class="confetti btn" type="submit">Validate answers</button>

    </form>

The SubExamComponent then renders the JSON like such, and recursively calls itself for more data to be rendered (because of the tree-like structure of the JSON exam):
Recursive call
SubExamComponent:
    <span *ngIf="model.question_type == 'list'">
    {{model.question_id}}.) {{model['description']}}
    <div *ngFor="let item of model.possibilities">
        <label> <input type="text" name="{{model.question_id}}" value="{{item['description']}}"
                attr.data-correct="{{item['correct']}}" /> {{item['description']}} </label>
    </div>
</span>

<!-- Recursive call -->
<ng-container *ngIf="model.items">
    <span *ngFor="let item of model.items; let i = index;">
        <app-sub-exam [model]="item" [childPathIndex]="i"></app-sub-exam>
    </span>
</ng-container>

I want to be able to click on this button:
Validate button
in the ExamComponent, to check all the inputs entered by the user in the SubExamComponent (which is called recursively).
The trouble I am having is that I don't know how to use any Angular tutorial online, which mostly explain how to work with basic forms, such as logins (e-mail + password), but I need to somehow have unique #id references, to use with my ngForm.
After submitting, by clicking this "Validate answers" button, I'd like to be able to compare the users' input value with this attr.data-correct value from my JSON and simply validate the user's answers on the client side:
Compare input value with attr.data-corect
I tried using html # as a reference point to the input fields, but since the exam is rendered recursively, it fails to render, when the # is a fixed name. I need to somehow get the input values in a different way, perhaps with unique # ref tags, or a different method that I'm not aware of. Any guidance will be much appreciated! :)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Pandemic Influenza Planning: A Guide for Individuals and Families
By Hubris CommunicationsSeptember 21, 2017Diseases and Medical Conditions
Pandemic Influenza Planning:
A Guide for Individuals and Families
Get Informed. Be Prepared.
"While the Federal Government will use all resources at its disposal to prepare for and respond to an influenza pandemic, it cannot do the job alone. This effort requires the full participation of and coordination by all levels of government and all segments of society… perhaps most important, addressing the challenge will require active participation by individual citizens in each community across our Nation."
George W. Bush, President
"Pandemics are global in nature, but their impact is local. When the next pandemic strikes, as it surely will, it is likely to touch the lives of every individual, family, and community. Our task is to make sure that when this happens, we will be a Nation prepared."
Michael O. Leavitt, Secretary
Pandemic Influenza – Get Informed. Be Prepared.
This guide is designed to help you understand the threat of a pandemic influenza outbreak in our country and your community. It describes commonsense actions you can take now in preparing for a pandemic. We cannot predict how severe the next pandemic will be or when it will occur, but being prepared may help lower the impact of an influenza pandemic on you and your family. Additional information including a planning checklist for individuals and families can be found at www.pandemicflu.gov.
An influenza (flu) pandemic is a worldwide outbreak of flu disease that occurs when a new type of influenza virus appears that people have not been exposed to before (or have not been exposed to in a long time). The pandemic virus can cause serious illness because people do not have immunity to the new virus. Pandemics are different from seasonal outbreaks of influenza that we see every year. Seasonal influenza is caused by influenza virus types to which people have already been exposed. Its impact on society is less severe than a pandemic, and influenza vaccines (flu shots and nasal-spray vaccine) are available to help prevent widespread illness from seasonal flu.
Influenza pandemics are different from many of the other major public health and health care threats facing our country and the world. A pandemic will last much longer than most flu outbreaks and may include "waves" of influenza activity that last 6-8 weeks separated by months. The number of health care workers and first responders able to work may be reduced. Public health officials will not know how severe a pandemic will be until it begins.
An Historical Perspective
In the last century there were three influenza pandemics. All of them were called pandemics because of their worldwide spread and because they were caused by a new influenza virus. The 1918 pandemic was especially severe.
1918-1919 Most severe, caused at least 675,000 U.S. deaths and up to 50 million deaths worldwide.
1957-1958 Moderately severe, caused at least 70,000 U.S. deaths and 1-2 million deaths worldwide.
1968-1969 Least severe, caused at least 34,000 U.S. deaths and 700,000 deaths worldwide.
Some Differences Between Seasonal Flu and Pandemic Flu
Seasonal Flu
Caused by influenza viruses that are similar to those already circulating among people. Caused by a new influenza virus that people have not been exposed to before. Likely to be more severe, affect more people, and cause more deaths than seasonal influenza because people will not have immunity to the new virus.
Symptoms include fever, headache, tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, runny nose, and muscle pain. Deaths can be caused by complications such as pneumonia. Symptoms similar to the common flu but may be more severe and complications more serious.
Healthy adults usually not at risk for serious complications (the very young, the elderly, and those with certain underlying health conditions at increased risk for serious complications). Healthy adults may be at increased risk for serious complications.
Every year in the United State, on average:
5% to 20% of the population gets the flu;
More than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications; and
About 36,000 people die from flu.
The effects of a severe pandemic could be much more damaging than those of a regular flu season. It could lead to high levels of illness, death, social disruption, and economic loss. Everyday life could be disrupted because so many people in so many places become seriously ill at the same time. Impacts could range from school and business closings to the interruption of basic services such a public transportation and food delivery.
Importance and Benefits of Being Prepared
The effects of a pandemic can be lessened if you prepare ahead of time. Preparing for a disaster will help bring peace of mind and confidence to deal with a pandemic.
When a pandemic starts, everyone around the world could be at risk. The United States has been working closely with other countries and the World Health Organization (WHO) to strengthen systems to detect outbreaks of influenza that might cause a pandemic.
A pandemic would touch every aspect of society, so every part of society must begin to prepare. All have roles in the event of a pandemic. Federal, state, tribal, and local governments are developing, improving, and testing their plans for an influenza pandemic. Businesses, schools, universities, and other faith-based and community organizations are also preparing plans.
As you begin your individual or family planning, you may want to review your state's planning efforts and those of your local public health and emergency preparedness officials. State plans and other planning information can be found at www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/checklists.html.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other federal agencies are providing funding, advice, and other support to your state. The federal government will provide up-to-date information and guidance to the public if an influenza pandemic unfolds.
For reliable, accurate, and timely information, visit the federal government's official Web site atwww.pandemicflu.gov.
Pandemic Influenza – Challenges and Preparation
As you and your family plan for an influenza pandemic, think about the challenges you might face, particularly if a pandemic is severe.
You can start to prepare now to be able to respond to these challenges. The following are some challenges you or your family may face and recommendations to help you cope. In addition, checklists and other tools have been prepared to guide your planning efforts. A series of planning checklists can be found at www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/checklists.html.
Essential Services You Depend on May Be Disrupted
Plan for the possibility that usual services may be disrupted. These could include services provided by hospitals and other healthcare facilities, banks, restaurants, government offices, telephone and cellular phone companies, and post offices.
Stores may close or have limited supplies. The planning checklists can help you determine what items you should stockpile to help you manage without these services
Transportation services may be disrupted and you may not be able to rely on public transportation. Plan to take fewer trips and store essential supplies.
Public gatherings, such as volunteer meetings and worship services, may be canceled. Prepare contact lists including conference calls, telephone chains, and email distribution lists, to access or distribute necessary information.
Consider that the ability to travel, even by car if there are fuel shortages, may be limited.
You should also talk to your family about where family members and loved ones will go in an emergency and how they will receive care, in case you cannot communicate with them.
In a pandemic, there may be widespread illness that could result in the shut down of local ATMs and banks. Keep a small amount of cash or traveler's checks in small denominations for easy use.
Food and Water Supplies May Be Interrupted and Limited
Food and water supplies may be interrupted so temporary shortages could occur. You may also be unable to get to a store. To prepare for this possibility you should store at least one to two weeks supply of non-perishable food and fresh water for emergencies.
Store two weeks of nonperishable food.
Select foods that do not require refrigeration, preparation (including the use of water), or cooking.
Insure that formulas for infants and any child's or older person's special nutritional needs are a part of your planning.
Store two weeks of water, 1 gallon of water per person per day. (2 quarts for drinking, 2 quarts for food preparation/sanitation), in clean plastic containers. Avoid using containers that will decompose or break, such as milk cartons or glass bottles.
Being Able to Work May Be Difficult or Impossible
Ask your employer how business will continue during a pandemic.
Discuss staggered shifts or working at home with your employer. Discuss telecommuting possibilities and needs, accessing remote networks, and using portable computers.
Discuss possible flexibility in leave policies. Discuss with your employer how much leave you can take to care for yourself or a family member
Plan for possible loss of income if you are unable to work or the company you work for temporarily closes.
For the Business Checklist visit: http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/businesschecklist.html
Schools and Daycare Centers May Be Closed for an Extended Period of Time
Schools, and potentially public and private preschool, childcare, trade schools, and colleges and universities may be closed to limit the spread of flu in the community and to help prevent children from becoming sick. Other school-related activities and services could also be disrupted or cancelled including: clubs, sports/sporting events, music activities, and school meals. School closings would likely happen very early in a pandemic and could occur on short notice.
Talk to your teachers, administrators, and parent-teacher organizations about your school's pandemic plan, and offer your help.
Plan now for children staying at home for extended periods of time, as school closings may occur along with restrictions on public gatherings, such as at malls, movie theaters.
Plan home learning activities and exercises that your children can do at home. Have learning materials, such as books, school supplies, and educational computer activities and movies on hand.
Talk to teachers, administrators, and parent-teacher organizations about possible activities, lesson plans, and exercises that children can do at home if schools are closed. This could include continuing courses by TV or the internet.
Plan entertainment and recreational activities that your children can do at home. Have materials, such as reading books, coloring books, and games, on hand for your children to use.
For the "Childcare, School, and University Checklist," visit: http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/tab5.html
Medical Care for People with Chronic Illness Could be Disrupted
In a severe pandemic, hospitals and doctors' offices may be overwhelmed.
If you have a chronic disease, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, or depression, you should continue taking medication as prescribed by your doctor.
Make sure you have necessary medical supplies such as glucose and blood-pressure monitoring equipment.
Talk to your healthcare provider to ensure adequate access to your medications.
If you receive ongoing medical care such as dialysis, chemotherapy, or other therapies, talk with your health care provider about plans to continue care during a pandemic.
A "Family Emergency Health Information Sheet" is provided in this guide and at:http://www.pandemicflu.gov/planguide/familyhealthinfo.html
Pandemic Influenza – Prevention and Treatment
These steps may help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses such as the flu:
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze-throw the tissue away immediately after you use it.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. If you are not near water, use an alcohol-based (60-95%) hand cleaner.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
If you get the flu, stay home from work, school, and social gatherings. In this way you will help prevent others from catching your illness.
Try not to touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs often spread this way.
Vaccines are used to protect people from contracting a virus once a particular threat is identified. After an individual has been infected by a virus, a vaccine generally cannot help to combat it. Because viruses change over time, a specific pandemic influenza vaccine cannot be produced until a pandemic influenza virus emerges and is identified. Once a pandemic influenza virus has been identified, it will likely take 4-6 months to develop, test, and begin producing a vaccine.
While there is currently no human pandemic influenza in the world, the federal government is facilitating production of vaccines for several existing avian influenza viruses. These vaccines may provide some protection should one of these viruses change and cause an influenza pandemic. The supply of pandemic vaccine will be limited, particularly in the early stages of a pandemic. Efforts are being made to increase vaccine-manufacturing capacity in the United States so that supplies of vaccines would be more readily available. In addition, research is underway to develop new ways to produce vaccines more quickly.
A number of antiviral drugs are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat and prevent seasonal influenza. Some of these antiviral medications may be effective in treating pandemic influenza. These drugs may help prevent infection in people at risk and shorten the duration of symptoms in those infected with pandemic influenza. However, it is unlikely that antiviral medications alone would effectively contain the spread of pandemic influenza. The federal government is stockpiling antiviral medications that would most likely be used in the early stages of an influenza pandemic and working to develop new antiviral medications. These drugs are available by prescription only.
Knowing the facts is the best preparation. Identify sources you can count on for reliable information. If a pandemic occurs, having accurate and reliable information will be critical.
Reliable, accurate, and timely information is available at www.pandemicflu.gov.
Another source for information on pandemic influenza is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Hotline at: 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636). This line is available in English and Spanish, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Look for information on your local and state government Web sites. Links are available to each state department of public health at www.pandemicflu.gov.
Listen to local and national radio, watch news reports on television, and read your newspaper and other sources of printed and web-based information.
Talk to your local health care providers and public health officials.
Will bird flu cause the next influenza pandemic?
Avian influenza (bird flu) is a disease of wild and farm birds caused by avian influenza viruses. Bird flu viruses do not usually infect humans, but since 1997 there have been a number of confirmed cases of human infection from bird flu viruses. Most of these resulted from direct or close contact with infected birds (for example: domesticated chickens, ducks, and turkeys). It is important not to handle, play with, or pick up dead birds. Information on who to contact in your state is at:http://www.pandemicflu.gov/state/statecontacts.html
The spread of bird flu viruses from an infected person to another person has been reported very rarely and has not been reported to continue beyond one person. A worldwide pandemic could occur if a bird flu virus were to change so that it could easily be passed from person to person. Experts around the world are watching for changes in bird flu viruses that could lead to an influenza pandemic.
Is it safe to eat poultry?
Yes, it is safe to eat properly cooked poultry. Cooking destroys germs, including bird flu viruses. The United States maintains trade restrictions on the importation of poultry and poultry products from countries where the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza strain has been detected in commercial or traditionally raised poultry, not in wild or migratory birds.
Guidelines for the safe preparation of poultry include the following:
Wash hands before and after handling food.
Keep raw poultry and its juices away from other foods.
Keep hands, utensils, and surfaces, such as cutting boards, clean.
Use a food thermometer to ensure food has reached the safe internal temperature – in all parts of the bird. Cook poultry to at least 165°F to kill food-borne germs that might be present, including the avian influenza virus.
For more information, see poultry preparation fact sheets at:http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Poultry_Preparation_Fact_Sheets/index.asp
What types of birds can carry bird flu viruses?
Avian influenza viruses can infect chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, ducks, geese, and guinea fowl, as well as a wide variety of other birds, including migratory waterfowl.
Each year, there is a flu season for birds just as there is for humans and, as with people, some forms of the flu are worse than others, depending on how strong the virus. A weak virus may cause only mild illness in infected poultry and birds but a strong virus could cause severe and extremely contagious illness, and even death, among infected poultry and birds.
Will the seasonal flu shot protect me against pandemic influenza?
No, it won't protect you against pandemic influenza. But flu shots can help you to avoid seasonal flu.
Get a flu shot to help protect you from seasonal flu.
Get a pneumonia shot to prevent secondary infection if you are over the age of 65 or have a chronic illness such as diabetes or asthma. For specific guidelines, talk to your health care provider or call the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Hotline at 1-800-232-4636.
Make sure that your family's immunizations are up-to-date.
What is the U.S. government doing to prepare for pandemic influenza?
The U.S. government has been preparing for pandemic influenza for several years. In November 2005, the President announced the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza.
Ongoing preparations include the following:
Monitoring migratory and wild birds for avian flu.
Working with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other nations to help detect human cases of bird flu and respond to an influenza pandemic, if one begins.
Supporting the manufacturing and testing of influenza vaccines, including finding more reliable and quicker ways to make large quantities of vaccines through cell-based technologies.
Developing a national stockpile of antiviral drugs to help treat and control the spread of disease.
Supporting the efforts of federal, state, tribal, and local health agencies to prepare for and respond to pandemic influenza, including hosting planning summits with state and local leaders in each state.
Working with federal agencies to prepare and to encourage communities, businesses, and organizations to plan for pandemic influenza. These efforts have included joint exercises in pandemic preparation.
Visit: www.pandemicflu.gov
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hotline, 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636), is available in English and Spanish, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. TTY: 1-888-232-6348. Questions can be emailed to inquiry@cdc.gov.
Links to state departments of public health can be found atwww.pandemicflu.gov/state/statecontacts.html.
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/en/
The World Health Organization –
WHO is coordinating the global response to human cases of H5N1 avian influenza and monitoring the corresponding threat of an influenza pandemic. Information on this page tracks the evolving situation and provides access to both technical guidelines and information useful for the general public.


Criminal offenses in Texas are categorized as either a misdemeanor or a felony, and each of those categories are broken down into classes. If you are charged with a criminal misdemeanor, we can help. Misdemeanors are broken into three classes of crimes: Class A, Class B, and Class C. Each class carries different ranges of punishments and the punishment is dependent upon whether you are a first-time offender or repeat offender.
Class C misdemeanor is the lowest level criminal offense. A typical punishment for Class C's is a fine up to $500. There is no jail time with a Class C Misdemeanor, but there can be serious consequences if convicted. Class C Misdemeanors can appear on background checks and negatively affect your chances of employment. In addition, convictions for theft charges will be considered crimes of moral turpitude which may affect your employment and/or professional licenses. Any type of drug paraphernalia conviction could affect your ability to apply for and receive financial aid since these are drug convictions.
If you are being charged with any of these crimes, know the consequences of a conviction before you plead guilty or pay a fine. You may not believe it will have a significant impact on your life now, but it may seriously affect your future.
Class B Misdemeanors are serious crimes that can follow you the rest of your life. A conviction for a Class B is punishable by a maximum of 180 days in the county jail and/or a $2,000 fine. A Class B can be enhanced so that a person charged with two Class B crimes may be charged with one Class B and the second charge enhanced to a Class A. A Class B conviction, regardless of how long ago in the past it was, can be used for enhancement.
If you have been arrested and charged with a Class B misdemeanor, you will most likely have to post a bond to get out of jail. You will also need to hire a defense attorney to assist you. If you are unable to afford an attorney, the state may appoint an attorney to represent you. Regardless of your circumstances, being convicted of a Class B could have severe consequences. You should speak to an attorney about your options prior to entering any type of plea.
Class A Misdemeanors are the most serious kind of misdemeanor offenses. If you have been charged with a Class A misdemeanor, it is imperative that you seek the assistance of a qualified defense attorney. If you are convicted of a Class A misdemeanor, you could spend up to one-year confinement in the county jail and be fined up to $4,000. Texas law also allows for increased sentencing depending on the circumstances, such as being a repeat offender, using drugs or controlled substances to commit the crime, or if the crime is motivated by bias or prejudice ("Hate" crimes). If a person has previously been convicted of a Class A, there is a mandatory minimum of 90 days in the county jail. In the case of controlled substances or if the crime is motivated by bias or prejudice, then there is a mandatory minimum sentencing of 180 days in the county jail.
Similar to a Class B misdemeanor, if you have been arrested for a Class A misdemeanor, you will most likely have to post a bond to be released from jail. Before entering any kind of a plea, you should know your legal rights and the consequences of such a plea. Class A misdemeanors are serious crimes and you should seek a criminal defense attorney if you are faced with a Class A charge.
It is possible to have your record expunged after one year if you have been arrested, acquitted, or your case has been dismissed. This is not possible if you have been convicted. If you are charged with any class misdemeanor, it is important to hire a defense attorney to assist you in avoiding a conviction.
If you have been arrested and charged with a misdemeanor, contact our office today for a consultation. We are here to help you.
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Description: Article detailing the rise and fall of the Heishan, or Black Mountain, Bandits, one of the most powerful bandit groups in Han China.
The Heishan Bandits, more commonly known as the Black Mountain Bandits, were one of the largest bandit groups in the Late Han/Three Kingdoms period. At their peak, they raided all the land above the Yellow River, and had over a million members. The bandits were active for 20 years, 185-205, starting in the year following the Yellow Turban uprising, and ending when the last bandit leader, Zhang Yan, surrendered to Cao Cao.
The Black Mountain Bandits first came to be in 185, when Zhang Yan (Flying Swallow Yan) formed a bandit group. He combined forces with one Ox-horn Zhang to attack Yingtao, but Ox-horn was shot and killed. Before he died, Ox-horn ordered his followers to join with Zhang Yan. Soon after, many bandits and robbers came to join him, and eventually his forces reached a million men; thus, the Black Mountain Bandits were born. They were able to attack all commentaries north of the Yellow River unimpeded by the Han Court.
However, Zhang Yan would surrender to the Imperial Court. He was given the title General of the Gentlemen of the Household Who Pacifies Disorder and ordered to manage the affairs of the hills and valleys north of the Yellow River. Not all of the bandit leaders would join Yan, and in 191 Poison Yu, Bo Rao, Sui Gu and their followers began to plunder Dong commandery. Wang Gong, Grand Administrator of Dong, could not hold out. Cao Cao would lead troops into Dong and defeat Bo Rao at Puyang. Later, the Black Mountain Bandits would attempt to ally with a group of Yellow Turbans at Bohai. Gongsun Zan would intercept the Turbans and deal a severe blow to the bandits, killing tens of thousands of men.
In 192, Poison Yu would again attack Dong, but was defeated by Cao and fled. A year later, the Heishan Bandits allied with Yuan Shu and Yufuluo of Xiongnu to oppose Cao Cao at Fengqiu. However, they were defeated and Yuan Shu was forced to flee to Shouchun.
In the third month of 193, Poison Yu and his men, aided by rebellious men of Wei commandery, assaulted Ye with tens of thousands of men. They stormed the city and killed the Grand Administrator. Yuan Shao, who had controlled Ye, encamped at Chiqiu; he would later regain the city, driving off Poison Yu to Luchang Hills in Chaoge. After a five day siege, Yuan Shao would defeat and kill Yu, along with over ten thousand bandits.
In 197, Gongsun Zan would ally with the Heishan Bandits to fight Yuan Shao. He planned to attack Ji, at Yuan Shao's rear, with the help of the bandits. However, Zan would later decide against this plan, fearing that he would be destroyed if he left his fortifications.
Zhang Yan would join up again with Gongsun in 199, bringing a hundred thousand men to relieve Zan's position. Despite this, Zan would be defeated and killed by Shao's men. With Gongsun Zan's defeat, Zhang Yan would retreat to Changshan. In 204, Zhang Yan would ally with Cao Cao, and was made general who pacifies the north. Later, in 205, Zhang Yan would formally surrender to Cao Cao, along with one hundred thousand of his followers. Yan was appointed Marquis of Anguo by Cao.
The Black Mountain Bandits' main base of power was the eastern Taiheng Mountains. Their influence varied from year to year; in the beginning, they were based in Taiheng. After Zhang Yan surrendered to the imperial court, they would spread all throughout the area north of the Yellow River. Poison Yu would attempt to extend their power base to Dong, but he would be defeated by Cao. While aiding Gongsun Zan, Zhang Yan was based in Changshan.
One of the most notable members of the Black Mountain Bandits was it's founder, Zhang Yan. Originally called Flying Swallow Yan, he would change his surname to Zhang in honor of his ally Ox-horn Zhang. Another notable member was Poison Yu, who attempted to expand the Heishan Bandits' sphere of influence. Other members include Yu Digen, White Horse Zhang, Liu Shi, Zuo with the Eighty-foot Moustache, Grand Design to Pacify Han, Director of Retainers Who Scales the City Wall, Lord of Thunder, Floating Clouds, White Sparrow, Phoenix Yang, Poison Yu, Five Deer, Big-eyes Li, Bo Rao, Sui Gu and Dry Grub. Most of the leaders of the Black Mountain Bandits have nicknames, and thus their actual names have been lost to history.
Rafe de Crespingy. To Establish Peace.
Read it all, and I enjoyed it. I always wanted to know more about who Zhang Yan was and his other allies.