Burma became a member of the International Labor Organization (ILO) in 1955. Members, who have ratified the convention, are required to obey the ILO "Convention on Forced Labor, Article No. 29," in which they agree to "suppress the use of forced labor or compulsory labor in all its forms within the shortest possible period." The Convention's definition of forced labor is "all work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself (or herself) voluntarily."
Although the ILO Committee of Experts for the Application of Conventions and Recommendations has given attention to the issue of forced labor since 1964, Burma's military junta has failed to implement the Convention, despite having ratified it in 1955. In fact they have violated the convention numerous times.
The use of forced porters and labor is common in Burma among the prison, as well civilian, populations, but we, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), would like to focus on the prisoners subject to this kind of persecution.
After the military coup in 1988, the number of prisoners has drastically increased. Before 1988, there were approximately 40,000 prisoners in Burmese prisons. After 1988, the number rose to about 60,000 with an additional 20,000 in labor camps for a total of 80,000. Of the entire prison population, over 2,500 are political prisoners.
There are 36 prisons in Burma and over 20 of them detain political prisoners. In all prisons, numerous violations of human dignity and brutal harassment occur. However, the worst situation for laborers is in labor camps and military bases where prisoners are forced to work.
There are over 21 labor camps, such as: Kabaw valley (Western Burma), Taungzun/ Motplin Quarry (Mon state), Tuntay camp (near Rangoon), Bokpyin camp(Tenasserim Division), and three won saung or military porter camps (according to the Human Rights Yearbook 1998-99 by the Human Rights Documentation Unit, there are six, but we only know the location of only three camps ). The three won saung camps known to the AAPP are located in the southeastern military regional command: in Hpa-an, capital of the Karen State; Myaine Ka lay township, Karen State; and Loikaw, capital of the Kaya State.
In won saung camps, prisoners are held until they are needed as porters for military offensives. In Burmese, won saung means to carry heavy loads or weapons. In the past, the army used mules for this purpose. Presently, instead of using animals to carry supplies, the army forces prisoners to do it.
In Burma, the use of prisoner porters over civilian porters is preferred by the military government. The working conditions for imprisoned porters are more horrendous than those of civilian porters. Prisoners performing forced labor are generally treated much more brutally than conscripted civilians. They are routinely sent to perform very dangerous tasks, such as working as porters for the military during military operations, dynamiting rock faces, excavating rock, building roads and railroads and so on. In addition to this, porters coming from prison are in poor physical health because they are denied health care and proper nutrition while in prison. For this reason they are less likely to survive forced labor than their civilian counterparts.
It was recently reported that between April 27 and July 20, 2000 fourteen prisoners working as porters died from exhaustion, mistreatment and malnutrition while working under SPDC troops in the Karen State. The prisoners were among approximately 400 taken from Mandalay Jail on April 26 and handed over to the wong saung camp in Myaing Ka Lay, Hlaing Bwe Township, Karen State. Two of the porters, Ko San Win, 28 and U Aye Oo Naing, 31, died from exhaustion after being forced to take amphetamine tablets by the soldiers of Light Infantry Battalion 81 under brigade 22 in order to boost their energy.
In a separate instance of prisoners being used as forced porters by the SPDC, Kyi Lwin, a prisoner who recently escaped from a military operations base, reported that on May 22, 2000, 400 convicts were taken to the won saung camps in the southeastern division. Of 400 convicts, there were 50 from Myingyan Prison, 50 from Meiktila, 30 from Pakkoku, 50 from Yemaething, and 220 from Mandalay. All prison terms were for under 10 years. Some prisoners were not fit enough to carry heavy loads. Before being transported to the porter camps, he reported that each prisoner was given two blue shirts with "Prisons Department" patches and longyis (sarong), a cap, slippers made of tire, a plastic bowl for eating and bathing, and a thin blanket. Kyi Lwin was chained together with another prisoner. It was very difficult for them to walk because two people were bound as one.
On May 24, 2000, the prisoners were dispersed to the three Won Saung camps, No.1 (Hpa-an), No.2 (Myaing Ka Lay), and No.3 (Loikaw), which are controlled by the military and not the prison authorities. Kyi Lwin was transferred to Myaing Ka Lay camp, which is located in the south of Myaing Ka Lay village near the well-known Cement Industry factory. When they arrived, the prison authorities handed them over to the army. Then, the commander ordered them to leave their possessions behind, including those which had been given to them by the prison authorities.
The next day, they were required to march over steep mountains, carrying heavy loads, including foodstuffs, mortar shells, artillery, cooking and general camp equipment for the troops. Each was forced to carry 35 to 45 kilogram loads. Two porters were needed for each section of the army (5 to 7 soldiers).
While carrying loads, prisoners suffered from sore feet and were unable to keep up with the soldiers. Many were kicked, prodded with bayonets, or beaten to keep them moving. When they collapsed, and could not continue, they were left behind, often after being beaten unconscious. They were given meager food rations, often just one or two handfuls of rice per day, which was inadequate to maintain their health. They were also forbidden to drink water because of water shortages. Therefore, they could only drink water from streams. Their health situations deteriorated because of torture, malnutrition and exhaustion.
Some prisoners who could not stand the situation any longer escaped and were re-captured. Some of them were then tortured and executed in front of the others as an example. Others committed suicide rather than continue on as porters any longer.
After Kyi Lwin saw four prisoners die as a result of their deteriorating health, he tried to escape. However, he was re-captured, tortured, and sent to Thingan Nyinaung Army Camp to carry weapons and foodstuffs.
During that period, he was forced to carry heavy loads. For the first three nights, his neck, hands and legs were tied with rope to prevent him from escaping. Nevertheless, he and four other prison porters successfully escaped. They now live on the Thai-Burma border.
As a result of his experiences, he suffers from pain in his spine, internal injuries and kidney injuries, which have caused his whole body to swell.
Prisoners are regularly sent from prisons and labor camps across the country to be used by the army in major offensives. Prisoners with short sentences are preferred to those with long sentences because it is thought they will be less likely to attempt escape. One ex-political prisoner, who spent over one year in the notorious Insein prison from 1990 to the end of 1991, reported that in October 1991, prisoners sentenced to under two months were sent as porters to a military offensive against the Karen National Union (KNU) in U Thu Hta in the Karen state. Before they were sent to the won saung camps, they were asked the following questions : parent's name, marital status, whether they had children, amount of property and who their heirs were. After being asked those questions the prisoners wept. They believed that they had no hope for the future.
In a separate incident in 1992, prisoners from Mandalay, Myingyan, and Meitila prisons, located in central Burma, were sent to the offensive against the KNU headquarters at Mannerplaw. As reported by a former political prisoner who spent nearly 3 years in Mandalay prison, over 500 convicts, associated with a variety of crimes, participated. Nearly half of them were deserters who had run away from the army because they refused to participate in the Mannerplaw operation. Unfortunately, they were sent back to the place they had run away from. Before the convicts were sent there, they were told that they would be released if they were still alive when the operation was over. Nearly 300 prisoners' lives were lost in the military operation.
In some cases political prisoners, including members of the National League for Democracy (NLD), are charged under a section of the criminal act that enables them to be sent to hard labor camps. This is intended to destroy their dignity. For example, comedians Par Par Lay, U Lu Zaw, U Htwe and U Aung were each sentenced to seven years with hard labor for performing at a NLD sponsored Independence Day Celebration on January 4, 1996 (Letters to a Dictator, 66). They were first sent to a labor camp in the Kachin State, which used prisoners to construct the Myitkyina Airport, and later another camp in Sumprabum to help build a road.
In 1997, the government forced 18 NLD political prisoners to serve as porters at the front line of military operations in Htantapin Township in Rangoon Division. Of the prisoners, U Saw Htun Nwe, 75, a Karen national died of fatigue as a result of his age. (From Letters to a Dictator). Many were severely wounded.
In some cases, even if convict's prison term is over, they continue to be held and used as porters in military operations.
Two ethnic Mons, Maung Aye and Ba Khaing, of Kawkayet township of Kayin State were arrested on September 9,1999 and sentenced to two years hard labor, under sections 370 and 511 of the penal code. They were then sent to Moulmein prison on September 17, 1999. While they were there, they saw that there were 700 prisoners including nearly 50 political prisoners.
During their time at Moulmein prison they, and the other prisoners, were not provided with adequate food and health care. The rice given to the prisoners was the lowest quality in Burma and was mixed with sand and grain. The curry had no taste, consisting of only water and morning glory. Despite insufficient food, they were ordered to work constantly from the morning to evening. As a result, the health of the majority of the prisoners deteriorated day by day. There was not sufficient medicine, and they were denied access to the prison clinic. Only when they bribed the jailer were they were allowed to visit the clinic and able to rest for two or three days.
As they could not bear such difficulties, they bribed a jailer named U Aung Kyaw Moe in order to get an easier assignment at the work site. However, after ten days they were returned to their previous work site. In addition to this, food, medicine and other neccesities that their families had given them were robbed by the senior prisoners on behalf of the wardens.
The day before members from the ICRC inspected Moulmein prison, the prisoners were ordered to say that all was good. They were allowed to play volleyball, chinlon (a traditional Burmese sport with a ball made of rattan) and other activities. The day the ICRC inspected the prison, they were given good food and enough water. The authorities treated them well. But after that, the situation reverted to the status quo.
After some time, Maung Aye and Ba Khaing were sent to No.6, or "New Life" labor camp located in Mon State. As soon as they arrived at the labor camp, their possessions were confiscated and they were only allowed to have two white prison uniforms.
After the new prisoners arrived at the camp, the old prisoners were beaten heavily with a chain in front of the newcomers. The purpose of this was to scare the new prisoners into giving bribe money to the jailers.
The next day, under the hot sun and without water, they were forced to pound hardened earth into powder for use in the rice paddies. Normally oxen are used for this job. One hour later, their work supervisor told them that if they paid kyat 50,000 to the supreme prison officer, U Khin Soe, and kyat 60,000 to six jailers, they would be moved to a carpenter work site, which was more comfortable than the field site. Prisoners regularly died at the field site, sometimes two or three a day. Knowing this, Maung Aye and Ba Khaing agreed to pay the money.
The conditions in the labor camp were much harder than in the prison. Prisoners were forced to sleep covered in mud because they were unable to bathe. Because of the unsanitary conditions, scabies, for which there was no medicine available, were very common. Diarrhea and dysentery often led to death in the labor camp. Maung Aye and Ba Khaing reported that because of the conditions that they were forced to work under, each day felt like torture. According to Ba Khaing, "In our own village, cows are forced to plough the field but they were given enough food, water and health care. In the labor camp, prisoners are valued less than cows."
Meanwhile, some prisoners committed suicide because they could not bear the brutal harassment. Some convicts, when they saw a poisonous snake, instead of running away, held its tail so it would bite them and they died.
Twenty days after arriving in the camp, they made up their minds to run away because they could not afford to pay any more bribe money and they were afraid of being killed. Luckily, they escaped from No.6 "New Life" labor camp on December 22, 1999.
The following is a list of former prisoners from Myaing Ka Lay wong saung, who had similar experiences to Maung Aye and Ba Khaing. They escaped from military operation in the Karen state at the end of June 2000. They are now living on the Thai-Burma border.
1) Tin Aung (alias) Kayin Gyi, 42, sentenced to one year in Mandalay prison.
2) Myo Oo, 24, sentenced to one year and six months in Mandalay prison.
3) Myo Myint Htun, 34, sentenced to two years in Meiktila prison.
4) Maung San, 21, sentenced to two years in Meiktila prison.
5)Kyaw Thu Win, 19, sentenced to ten years in Meiktila prison.
6)Than Htun, 34, sentenced to three years in Mandalay prison.
7) Ko Barlee, 43, sentenced to eight years in Myaung Mya prison.
8) Zaw Ba Myint (alias) Myint Thein, 29, sentenced to one year in Meiktila prison.
In June 2000, the military junta issued the another secret order as a remedy to ILO Resolution No. 29, which instructs " instead of using civilians as forced porters and laborers, use the prisoners because the ILO and other international organizations are unaware of their situation." They have set up won saung camps in each division to do so. This demonstrates the government's blatant disregard for international standards on the use of forced labor set by the ILO.
Therefore, we, the AAPP, would like to request the international community, including Amnesty International and the International Labor Organization (ILO), to focus their attention on the plight of prisoners being used as forced porter or labor by the military junta in Burma and labor camps.


Background and Purpose: The premenstrual syndrome is the emergence of a set of symptoms before menstrual which results in imbalance in individual's life and daily activities. Today the prescription of herbals is recommended for the treatment of the illnesses. The present study aimto pinpoint the effect of primrose oil on the premenstrual syndrome. Methods: The study was a triple blind clinical-trial which was conducted with 80 female university students residing in Lorestan Medical University hostels. The samples were selected based on the DSMIV-TR criterion for the premenstrual syndrome. Using block-randomization method, they were categorized into two groups (each 40), one treated with primrose oil and the other with placebo. The dose of the primrose oil is 1500 mg per day for the first group. The total score for sever symptom (for each from 0 to 10) was assigned at first monthly and then for three months. For the data analysis χ2 and repeated measures were deployed. Results: The score for symptom severity before the intervention for the primrose group was 53.20 ± 14.31 at the beginning. At the end of the third month, it got 33.62 ± 16.94 therewas a significant difference in the reduction of symptom severity in the follow-up periods (p < 0001). In the Placebo group, the score for sever it ysymptom before the intervention was 53.38 ± 13.93. At the end of the third month after treatment, it was 50.27 ± 16.94. This didn't show any significant difference in the decrease of the symptom severity in the follow-up period. There was a significant difference for the symptom severity in both primrose and Placebo group (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Taking the effect of primrose oil on premenstrual syndrome reduction and the harmlessness of hessrb medicals into account, bioresearches recommend primrose oil for the treatment of premenstrual syndrome.
Background and Purpose: Influenza (flu) causes many hospitalization and death in the year. It is recommended health care workers (HCW) receive the annual flu vaccine. But studies have shown that a few of medical staffs are vaccinated against flu. This study was conducted to determine the incentives and disincentives of flu vaccination in nurses. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 nurses in teaching hospitals in Shahid Sadoughi University in 2011. The Samples were selected randomly. The data collection tool was a 35-point self-administered questionnaire about the incentive and disincentive for flu vaccination. Frequencies, percentages, mean, standard deviation, and chi-square were used for statistical analysis. Results: According to the findings, 32.5% of nurses were vaccinated, the main factors for encouraging vaccination were: personal protection (95%), family safety (25.5%), not being concerned about spreading the disease (18%), and following other health workers (26.5%). The main factors inhibiting for the vaccination were: not believing in the effectiveness of the vaccine (26%), lacking of information about vaccine (31%) and not being worried about flu (26%). Conclusion: Based on the results, the incentives for vaccination in nurses were protection against the disease and the persuasion of other HCWs. The most inhibitors were the high cost of vaccination and lack of knowledge about flu vaccination. It is, therefore, necessary to promote vaccination in nursing staffs by offering more facilities such as vaccination in the workplace, providing free immunizations and educational actions.
Background and Purpose: Retirement is an important event in nurses' life. Preparation and planning are the essential necessities before nurses get retired. Healthcare leaders play an important role in preparing nurses for retirement. This study aims to explore the process by which nurses were prepared for retirement. Methods: The theory development method according to Walker and Avant was used to derive a model from the reviewed literature. Based on Walker and Avant's (2005) three-step method, retirement planning for the nurses has been conducted. The first step is to identify the key concepts for manufacturing and processing the theoretical basis, The second stage, the literature review is done to identify the factors related to the focal concepts and the nature of the framework's concept. In third stage of theory, the concepts and statements are organized generally concerning the study phenomenon. Results: Four categories were identified influencing nurses' preparation for retirement: "enjoying appropriate education", "prevention from financial strait", "appropriate work conditions before retirement", and "reduced negative interactions". Conclusion: Prepare for retirement induced transfer to successful retirement. Understanding these factors can be used to aid nursing leaders to prepare nurses for retirement.
Background and Purpose: Iran's nursing has witnessed remarkable changes in the period 1914 to 1945 that could be a turning point in the history of the nursing professionin Iran. This paper is a survey of modern nursing transformation history in the historical period of the World Wars and their impacton the development of the nursing profession in Iran. Methods: In the present historical study, following the statement of the problem, by an aim to access to the relevant information resources, we studied primary and secondary sources relevant to the research topic. 107 documents including photos, letters, official reports, journal archives, websites, memories, autobiographies, articles and books were studied. To complete the social conditions in this period of the history, the oral tradition history was used, too. First, the social situation of Iran at these periods of history was briefly reviewed and collected data were analyzed. Finally, the causal relationships in the development of nursing-related incidents were investigated. Results: The results of this study can be divided into three sections: socio-political situation in Iran during the Word Wars, the beginning of modern nursing and the start of academic nursing training in Iran. Based on our findings, interactions of multiple factors such as war, famine, presence of foreign forces, and beginning the modern age have led to the onset of modern nursing and nursing education in Iran. Conclusions: This study showed how the response to a social need, and at a critical juncture in the history of Iran, would lead to the quantitative and qualitative development of nursing as an academic discipline.
Background and Purpose: Needle stick injuries (NSIs) remains a significant risk of occupational transmission of Blood-borne pathogens in health care workers (HCWs). This study aimed to determine the "Risk Factors of Needlestick and Sharps Injuries among Healthcare Workers in Naft hospital, Mahshahr". Methods: A descriptive-cross sectional study carried out on 135 HCWs in Naft hospital in Mahshar, in 2011-12. Data were collected by a self-administered questionnaire. The first part included questions about demographic characteristics. The second part of the questionnaire consisted of 11 items related to the sharp instrument injuries. After confirming content and face validity, reliability of the questionnaire was determined to be 0.88, using Cronbach's alpha test. Data analysis, including descriptive and analytical statistics was performed using SPSS Ver. 16. A P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean age of the participants was 33.83 +/- 6.22. (24-50) years old and 69.3% were females. The incidence rate of NSI was 64.1%. Recapping of needles (25.8%) and IV access (19.7%) were the most common actions resulted to exposure. Exposed people believed that the most important reason for NSIs was patients unpercaution (38.5%), and crowdedness (33.8%).The most injuries were occurred in the emergency department(21%) and Internal ward(16.1%). 80.8% of nurses had been vaccinated against hepatitis B virus. There weren't statistically significant differences in demographic variables with NSIs. Conclusion: The present study showed a high occurrence of NSI among HCWs in this Mahshar hospital. Training in handling and disposal of sharps, preventing and reporting strategies are needed to increase safety practices for HCWs.
Background and Purpose: Communication has become a core topic in nursing care and investigations on this topic could have a significant impact on increasing nursing quality services. The present study aims to evaluate the communication skills and nursing staff component focusing on emotional management, others' perception and self-expression. Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study to determine the communication skills of military nursing staffs in Tehran, elected in 2013. 340 staff nurses working at internal medicine, surgery, intensive care unit (ICU) and emergency were enrolled. Data were gathered using a designed questionnaire and by using SPSS 18 and Chi-square analysis. Validity and reliability testing using alpha-Cronbach has been obtained 0.66. Results: 52.1% of the participants were women. The mean age was 35.29 (±7.5) and the mean score of communication skill was 116.14 (±9.43). Between communication skills & the variables of age, education, nursing responsibilities, there was a significant correlation (P<0.05). The relationship between communication skill and components (emotional management, others' perception, self expression) was positive and significant (p< 0.001). Conclusion: The communication score in this study was average. Therefore, in order to promote efficiency and improve care quality, encouraging the employees to utilize these skills and monitoring this execution and also developing short term courses with the subjects as emotional management, others' perception, and self-expression, in the communicative skills are recommended.


Join Verizon & NYC Media Lab at a special info session to learn about the 5G EdTech Challenge.
The 5G EdTech Challenge is a nationwide open call to find the best innovative, cutting-edge, creative education technologies that will transform middle school education.The top 10 Challenge winners will be awarded $100K each, & will partner with Verizon to develop & test their solutions in the 5G environmentstartingin spring 2019.
At this info session, we'll share important details about the application. Join us to meet representatives from Verizon Innovative Learning, Verizon 5G Labs, & NYC Media Lab to discuss how we can work together to build the next generation of education technologies.
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The session will take place on the 2nd floor.
Alley powered by Verizon locations are developed by Verizon, the world's leading technology company, in collaboration with Alley, a membership-only community workspace for creators. Each location is a curated community powered by the emerging technologies & thought-leadership of Verizon.
NYC Media Lab connects media & technology companies with New York City's universities to drive innovation, entrepreneurship & talent development. A public-private partnership launched by the New York City Economic Development Corporation, NYC Media Lab funds prototyping projects that foster collaboration across a range of disciplines core to the future of media. The Combine, an early stage accelerator for emerging media & technology startups, is now in its fourth year.


text:
California struggles with backlog of prohibited gun owners
By Matt Drange	/ March 20, 2015
Firearms seized during Los Angeles police sweeps with the help of California's Armed and Prohibited Persons System are displayed during a 2013 news conference.
Credit: Damian Dovarganes/Associated Press
Law enforcement officials have identified more than 17,000 Californians who are breaking the law by owning guns despite having criminal convictions, mental health issues and restraining orders.
This week, a group of lawmakers demanded an oversight hearing to scrutinize the state attorney general's progress on taking away those guns.
The California Department of Justice outlined the results of its effort to eliminate the backlog of prohibited gun owners in a recent progress report, mandated by a 2013 bill that set aside $24 million to seize guns from people legally barred from having them. California is the only state with a database that cross-references changes in people's status over time, called the Armed and Prohibited Persons System, or APPS.
Senate Republicans sent a letter to Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León, D-Los Angeles, on Tuesday that said the Justice Department report "reflects the failure of the Attorney General and the DOJ to address the APPS backlog and meet the commitments they made to the Legislature" almost two years ago.
Peter DeMarco, spokesman for Sen. Bob Huff, R-Brea, and the Senate Republican Caucus, said the issues raised in the letter would be addressed during a budget subcommittee hearing scheduled for April 30, which includes reviews of the Justice Department, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Department of State Hospitals and state inspector general's office.
"While we were surprised that they had already planned to look at these questions, we are certainly happy to hear they are doing so," DeMarco said, adding that the Justice Department has yet to provide a detailed account of how initial funds were spent or how it intends to use the remaining money to eliminate the backlog in the 16 months left of the time it gave itself to do so.
"We're almost two years into the program, and there certainly has been progress," DeMarco said. "But given how much time has elapsed, should we just wait until this is done and ask questions then?"
In its progress report, the Justice Department said it is on pace to "exceed the expectations and goals" of the program and cited recruitment shortcomings last year that limited the number of hires the agency could use to combat the backlog. To date, the Justice Department has hired half of the 36 special agents it planned to add and spent roughly 40 percent of the $24 million dedicated to the program.
The backlog was reduced by roughly 18 percent last year, leaving 17,479 people who together have 34,868 guns.
Justice Department spokeswoman Kristin Ford declined to answer questions about the backlog or the hiring challenges that contributed to it.
"Upon taking office Attorney General (Kamala) Harris hired agents and urged the legislature to fund efforts to eliminate a backlog that was created ten years ago," Ford said in an emailed statement. "This funding has allowed agents to reduce the backlog for the first time in the program's history and doubled the average number of guns seized per year."
California's system for identifying prohibited gun owners was introduced in 2006. Reducing the backlog of people on the list became a priority for lawmakers after Adam Lanza, who had mental health problems, shot and killed 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in December 2012. He also killed his mother and later himself.
The bill to remove guns from those with serious mental illness, by Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, was one of a host of gun-related measures pushed by lawmakers in the summer of 2013. At the time, Harris said the money would allow the Justice Department to hire additional staff and eliminate the backlog in three years.
But new prohibitions on gun owners implemented in 2014 worsened the problem. Another 7,031 people were added to the database last year, according to the Justice Department. At the same time, between cleared warrants, vacated restraining orders, deceased gun owners and agents visiting gun owners' homes to take their guns, more than 10,000 people were removed from the system.
An October 2013 audit of the Justice Department's system to identify prohibited gun owners highlighted weaknesses that "demonstrate that it may be unprepared for an increase in workload."
The Justice Department "needs to improve its controls over processing the information about persons with mental illness that it receives from reporting entities," the audit said. "For some of the report records we reviewed, Justice had not entered information it received into the databases that would make the information available for the APPS unit to review."
This story was edited by Amy Pyle and copy edited by Nikki Frick.
Matt Drange can be reached at mdrange@revealnews.org. Follow him on Twitter: @mattdrange.
By Matt Drange Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting March 20, 2015
By Matt Drange / March 20, 2015

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I can't believe it's been 4 years since we started blogging and producing books for Picture Book Apologetics! That's crazy talk, since it feels like it can't have been more than a year? Then again, in those 4 years, we've made 70 blog posts, started up Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts, and produced 5 children's books (9 if you count the translated versions, and 11 if you count the 2 that will drop before the end of this year!). Not to mention the 2 children that have joined our family during that time. I suppose it really HAS been 4 years.


text:
Port of Narvik and the Ofoten Railway to Become EU Corridor
The Ofoten Railway will become part of the EU's transport corridor from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia. (Photo: David Gubler/Wikimedia Commons)
Published at: Jun 08 2018 - 12:53 / Updated at: Jun 08 2018 - 12:53
The European Commission suggest prolonging one of Europe's most important transport corridors to include Narvik in Northern Norway.
from Linda Storholm (Translated by Elisabeth Bergquist)
- This is excellent news, says Torjus Kleiven Kandal at the North Norway European Office. The Ofoten Railway and Narvik are already on the EU's list of 'core networks', however, elevating its status to 'core corridor' would carry significant impact. The corridors are the highest prioritized transport areas and that is where the majority of money is spent.
Narvik is listed as the end station on a transport corridor starting on Malta, in the Mediterranean. Kandal explains that the Ofoten Railway carries major strategic significance for the EU:
- 90 % of the iron ore that is extracted in the EU comes from Kiruna (Sweden) and is shipped out via Narvik, so this is obviously important for German industry and the entire EU. In addition, the majority of goods supplies to Northern Norway arrive via rail. High regularity on this route is particularly important for business north of Narvik in Norway. Furthermore, there is a great potential for transporting more of fish from Northern Norway to the markets via rail. Transport bottlenecks need to be removed in order to supply fish from Northern Norway to Europe, and other goods to the Arctic, Kandal says.
Support from Norway
Sweden and Finland were the first to start working on heightening the status of this distance. The North Norway EU Office was quick to announce its support and contribute to their work. Norwegian Transportation Minister Ketil Solvik-Olsen also stated his support to the project; first in 2016 and later again this spring.
The main lines of the EU's proposed long-term budget for the 2021-2027 period were announced early May. Following on from that, further details have been revealed and recently information on planned transportation priorities were made known. The EU Commission has presented the proposal, and now the EU Council, the Member States and the EU Parliament are to discuss and process. The proposal may be adopted in about a year, Torjus Kleiven Kandal estimates.
- Is it certain that this proposal will be adopted?
- It has the support of Sweden and Finland, both EU Member States, as well as Norway as an EEA member, and the Commission has said that this is important and the right thing to do, so I think it is a well-anchored proposal, Kandal says.
Strategic effort
The EU has a total of nine transport corridors, and in addition to the Ofoten Railway and the Port of Narvik, there is a proposal to include the Bothnian corridor into the transport corridor referred to as 'the Mediterranean – Scandinavia'.
The North Norway European Office has for years cooperated with Finnish and Swedish regions in the Bothnian Corridor project in order to increase its status. They have worked strategically towards both the European Parliament and the European Commission, as well as towards national authorities to demonstrate just how important prolonging this corridor will be.
- Seeing concrete results of what we have been working on is quite thrilling, Kandal says.
First above the Arctic Circle
For the North Norway EU Office, it is important to work on improving infrastructure in the High North.
- We have warranted EU investments in infrastructure in the Arctic for years, investments they have decided on in their own Arctic documents. We are happy to see the EU deliver on its promise of investing in this project, and this will be the first EU corridor to stretch out north of the Arctic Circle. The EU is now delivering on its Arctic policy, and Norwegian authorities have to follow up, Kandal says.
Even though the proposal is to be debated for another year before being adopted, the Swedes are hitting the ground running. The Swedish government last week announced that the construction of the North Botnia Railway between Umeå and Luleå will commence this year. The Swedes are planning to apply for funding from the CEF, the EU's funding arrangement, as this railway appears on schedule to becoming a core corridor.
The EU's core corridors, including the proposal to include the Bothnian Corridor and the Ofoten Railway.
Les artikkelen på norsk
Special Advisor Torjus Kleiven Kandal at the North Norway European Office. (Photo: Maja Busch Sevaldsen)
North Norway European Office
Ofotbanen
Port of Narvik
Torjus Kleiven Kandal
The Report Makes the Federal Government the Be-all and End-all Solution to all the Problems
Jul 10 2019 - 14:26
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"The Fifth Anniversary of the Sniper's Massacre: The Results of the Investigation of the Maidan Cases"
The Center for Civil Liberties and the Advocacy Advisory Panel invite you to participate in the Information Session "The Fifth Anniversary of the Sniper's Massacre: The Results of the Investigation of the Maidan Cases", which is organized specifically for representatives of embassies and international organizations.
The event will present the current state of the investigation of over 4000 instances that took place during the three months of the protests, name the main problems of organizing the investigation itself, provide the examples of obstruction of the investigation and court hearings from the side of the leadership of law enforcement, the judiciary and other officials.
The recommendations for the Ukrainian authorities to provide such a procedure for conducting the investigation that can identify the perpetrators of crimes and establish grounds for bringing them to justice will be separately voiced.
The event will be attended by:
Serhii Horbatiuk, Head of Special Investigation Department of the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine
Yevhenia Zakrevska, lawyer of the families of the dead
Vitalii Tytych, lawyer of the families of the dead
Volodymyr Bondarchuk, Head of the "Family of Heroes of Heavenly Hundred " NGO
Oleksandra Matviichuk, Chair of the Center for Civil Liberties
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Center for Civil Liberties, 2016
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Kyiv, 9G Baseina str., office 25, 28
Supported by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy to Ukraine. The views of the authors do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Government.


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Your quick guide to Medicaid: What it is and what it isn't
While work requirements may seem counterproductive to Medicaid's objectives, it actually promotes healthy, self-sufficient lifestyle, financial independence
by Lianna Schwalenberg · Apr 30, 2019 Share Tweet
Marissa Haegele/The Badger Herald
Medicaid is the single largest source of health coverage in the U.S., and it's gaining a lot of traction in Wisconsin news, specifically the revenue losses related to non-expansion and the work requirements. Opinions are better founded on facts — so what are the facts?
Medicaid is often confused with Medicare because both were created in 1965 under President Lyndon B. Johnson's Title XIX amendment to the Social Security Act. While Medicare is a national health insurance plan for everyone over the age of 65, Medicaid is jointly operated by the state and federal government and was originally intended for low income families, pregnant women, people with disabilities and people who need long-term care.
In 2014, the Affordable Care Act, designed to alleviate the high uninsured rate, took effect and required all states expand Medicaid coverage to childless adults all the way up to 138 percent of the federal poverty line (about $12,140 for singles). While the Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional to force states to accept this expansion, the federal government does heavily subsidize the effort and they require states to be innovative if they don't expand.
Republican economic policies result in statewide growth in a way liberal policies cannotThose who claim Republicans are anti-government and anti-education should see the budget approved by the Joint Finance Committee earlier this Read…
In 2014, Wisconsin, under Gov. Scott Walker, did a "partial expansion," filing a five-year Section 1115 demonstration waiver, expanding coverage to childless, non-disabled, non-pregnant, non-elderly adults up to 100 percent of the FPL, but only 100 percent — meaning the state was ineligible for federal funds. Because the waiver was set to expire this year, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services filed an amended extension, approved in October 2018. Had the extension not been approved, it's estimated about 178,000 childless adults would have lost their coverage.
This renewed waiver has a controversial requirement for its enrollees: all non-exempt adults between the ages of 19 and 49 must work or receive job training for at least 80 hours per month. They have 48 months to be compliant, after which they become ineligible for the program for six months. If the injunction on the lame-duck legislation remains in place, Gov. Tony Evers might have the chance to remove this work requirement. First of all, the work requirement makes a lot of sense.
"To create an effective incentive for beneficiaries to take measures that promote health and independence, it may be necessary for states to attach penalties to failure to take those measures…" the federal agency overseeing Medicaid says in their approval letter.
Holding a job puts you on track to financial independence and the opportunity to receive employer-provided healthcare. People may say this begs the question of which comes first, good health or a having a job? Thinking about what compassion warrants us to do, the best thing government can do for a person is to empower them, set them up for success and give them the chance to be self-sufficient.
Walker's crusade against need-based aid bolstered by new requirements for Medicaid recipientsOn Jan. 11, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a new policy guidelines memo concerning work and service requirements Read…
Second, it is not likely many people will lose their insurance as we may think. According to statistics from the Kaiser Family Foundation, about 62 percent of Medicaid recipients in Wisconsin are already working, so requiring them to work seems pointless — we are not setting them up for success, but failure. An unintended consequence might be that many of these people would lose coverage because of the increased red tape and paperwork.
Medicaid's central objective is not about keeping as many people as possible in the program — rather, it is about providing affordable health coverage to people who wouldn't otherwise have it. The work requirement is trying to weed out people who would otherwise have it — it fixates on all the people who are able to work. Many people are exempt from the work requirements: people with disabilities, elderly people, people with mental illnesses, students, participants of an alcohol or drug abuse program, just to name a few. None of these people have to fulfill the work requirements.
One recent argument against the work requirement is it harms hospital revenues. A recent study by the Commonwealth Fund brought this to fruition.
"If people lose their Medicaid coverage, hospitals will see reduced revenue," Randy Haugh, the author of the study said. "They'll see increased uncompensated care because these people still need hospital services, there just won't be any payments."
Green New Deal could create jobs, raise wages, improve environment in WisconsinThursday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., stood on the steps of the U.S. capitol to announce Read…
They estimate losses of up to 15 percent of Medicaid revenue in Wisconsin. But these losses assume a significant number of people will fail to file the necessary paperwork and then drop out of the healthcare system altogether. One solution might be to make the paperwork as easy as possible.
As a final note, Medicaid is not free money. People who work and pay taxes help fund the program. Medicaid is meant to be a payer of last resort, not someone's lifeline or a hospital's source of revenue. If you are an able-bodied, non-student, childless adult, then working part-time and filling out the paperwork within four years is easy compliance and it will wean you off dependence on government money.
Lianna Schwalenberg ([email protected]) is a recent graduate with degrees in communication arts and philosophy.
This article was published Apr 30, 2019 at 8:24 am and last updated Apr 29, 2019 at 4:25 pm
Tags: Affordable care act, Medicaid, Medicaid work requirements
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Undergraduate students with Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation take a field trip the BBL's fall migration monitoring station, to learn about bird banding in the field first hand.
USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center's (PWRC) Bird Banding Lab (BBL) recently hosted a field trip at the long-term fall migration monitoring station, for students from the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation (SMSC). The students are enrolled in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, which includes coursework related to field skills and tools/techniques to evaluate presence, distribution, and movement of species, and monitor and assess biodiversity. The visit to the BBL's banding station was not only a chance for the students to work on their bird identification skills, but also see how mist-netting, scoring, and evaluation are performed at a long-term monitoring station. In addition, students had the opportunity to meet with PWRC biologists performing science within their career field.


October 27, 2016, 10:51 AM · Welcome to "For the Record," Violinist.com's weekly roundup of new releases of recordings by violinists, violists, cellists and other classical musicians. We hope it helps you keep track of your favorite artists, as well as find some new ones to add to your listening!
A song without words for the violin -- that is what Russian-American violinist Yevgeny Kutik wanted to create when he commissioned composer Timo Andres to write him a piece for violin and piano. This album features that work, plus works by Mendelssohn, Mahler, Prokofiev, Messiaen and Lera Auerbach.
For their debut album, the Los Angeles-based Trio Céleste performs piano trios by Beethoven and Dvorák, and the world premiere recording of Constellations: Variations on a Theme by Beethoven, a piece the group commissioned with variations written by Samuel Adler, Mike Block, Paul Dooley, Eugene Drucker, Peter Erskine, Eric Guinivan, Fred Hersch, Pierre Jalbert, Jim Scully, and Cristina Spinei. The variations are based on the Largo con espressione movement of Beethoven's Piano Trio in G Major, Op. 1, No. 2.


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Daily Howler: Why does Bush keep misstating the facts on SS? He knows only Krugman will challenge
WHY IT CONTINUES! Why does Bush keep misstating the facts on SS? He knows only Krugman will challenge: // link // print // previous // next //
SURELY, THEY'VE EARNED A GOOD LAUGH: We're off today to entertain the troops at the national convention of the World Affairs Councils. And let's face it—if anyone ever deserved a good laugh, it's the people attending this confab. Does WACA really "tackle the world's toughest issues," as their convention title claims? Readers, just take a look at their program! Who else starts discussing "The Future of Oil" at three o'clock on a Friday afternoon? We expect to make some good friends tonight, and of course, to share our stands on the issues. We suspect we'll be asked about Canadian health care. And about prayer in the schools.
However: Due to this event, we'll postpone Parts 3 and 4 of our current incomparable series. (We do present an exchange about Gene Steuerle below.) But WACA readers can scan Parts 1 and 2 if they click here. And if they click here too.
Meanwhile, readers might want to review Steve Twomey's profile of TDH at the Columbia Journalism Review. No, we haven't read it yet—did you think we'd fall for that old trick?—but Andrew Sullivan linked to the profile last week, and today we obediently follow.
WHY IT CONTINUES: In today's Times, Paul Krugman debunks the president's latest bogus claim about Social Security. Do blacks get a raw deal from SS? Bush said so. But once again—bogus:
KRUGMAN (1/28/05): So the claim that Social Security is unfair to blacks is just false. And the fact that privatizers keep making that claim, after their calculations have repeatedly been shown to be wrong, is yet another indicator of the fundamental dishonesty of their sales pitch.
You can read the Krugman piece for the full, detailed rundown. But why do privatizers—and how can Bush—persist in making such bogus statements? Easy! Krugman's heroics to the side, Bush is allowed to make such claims by an indolent, MIA press corps. At Wednesday's press conference, for example, Bush continued making a wildly misleading claim—the claim that SS will be "broke" and "bankrupt" by the time younger workers retire (see THE DAILY HOWLER, 1/27/05). This claim has misled young Americans for years, but Bush keeps making it, far and wide, secure in the knowledge that the mainstream press corps will stare into air when he does. Sure enough, no one challenged his language at the press event; in fact, you have to turn to the Fox News Channel to find a scribe who will challenge these claims! (See THE DAILY HOWLER, 1/18/05.) Why does Bush feel he can make a false claim about blacks and SS? Simple! He knows that Krugman will debunk his false claims—and that none of Krugman's colleagues will follow.
WHO IS MAGGIE GALLAGHER: Maggie Gallagher, "marriage expert," is also a nasty, angry woman with a ripe, smut-lovin' mouth. Example? In November 1999, she leaped into action when the press corps ginned up its phony Naomi Wolf flap. Many pundits played the smut card in their phony campaign against Wolf (see THE DAILY HOWLER, 3/3/03), and Gallagher brought an especially loud mouth to the crowded table. In a November 6, 1999 Washington Times column, the "marriage expert" directly addressed Gore. "So now I hear you've gone out and hired a feminist babe with big hair, friend of your daughter, to help boost your MQ (that's 'masculinity quotient' to you outside the Beltway)," she wrote. In the course of her column, she characterized Wolf, a former Rhodes Scholar, as "this pretty little writer thing (don't get me wrong, smart too, gives real good pen) who's going to teach you how to be a man" and she said that Gore had been "looking for manly sex tips from a girl." After an inexcusable comparison to Monica Lewinsky (such comparisons were required in Gallagher's smutty cohort), our expert again called Wolf a girl: "Al, baby, the really big problem here is that you are going to a girl to get advice on how to be a man." At the time, Wolf—the "girl," who "gives good pen"—was a 37-year-old, world-acclaimed writer, the married mother of a young child. But so what? "Marriage experts" like Maggie Gallagher will continue to degrade our public discourse as long as their colleagues in the mainstream press corps prefer to stare off into air. Each evening, crackpots like Gallagher flood cable programs, where they trash the mainstream press for its disturbing, alleged "liberal bias." The kookiness (and smuttiness) of the cable discussion makes our national discourse a joke, but mainstream scribes would rather eat live worms than comment on the endless degradation. Is Maggie Gallagher a "marriage expert?" In fact, she's a smutty, foul-mouthed, loud, angry kook, whose type has made a sick joke of our discourse. But alas! High-minded typists of the mainstream press corps don't care enough to take notice.
IN HEADLONG PURSUIT OF THE CHAFF: There are no Oscars for bloggers, but if there were, we'd nominate Josh Marshall for his ongoing work on Social Security. In the past few months, he has combined information development with political activism (pressure on congressional reps) in a way that defines a new medium. Present company to the side, we think it's the best sustained work on a subject that we've ever see on the web.
Having said that, though, we'll also say this—the web-wide focus on the phrases "private accounts" and "personal accounts" is quickly approaching self-parody. Thomas Lang got it right at campaigndesk.org this Tuesday. "In truth, both [phrases] are an accurate description of what the president appears ready to propose," Lang wrote. And other phrases are being used that accurately describe the Bush proposal. Presumably because of polling results, Bush seems to prefer that journalists use the term "personal accounts," and that is the term that he is using. But readers, just because Bush prefers that term, that doesn't mean that it shouldn't be used, or that scribes who use the phrase have somehow sold their souls to the enemy. But so what? Some web writers are producing silly, nit-picking pieces on this theme; in them, they chastise scribes who have used a wide range of (accurate) descriptions for this thing that Bush has proposed. At Salon, for example, Farhad Manjoo even criticized Paul Krugman, complaining about a column in which Krugman used the term "personal accounts" way down in paragraph 8. But uh-oh! In the column in question, Krugman used the Bush-opposed term "privatization" in paragraphs 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 14, and he disparaged Bush's proposal as "a giant 401(k)" right in his opening paragraph! Manjoo's Stalinism is utterly foolish, but even some of Marshall's posts have been a bit of a stretch on this topic. Marshall deserves an Oscar for his ongoing work, but this topic is getting semi-silly.
Yes, sometimes it matters when pols like Bush enforce preferred language on journalists. In 1995 and 1996, for example, obedient journalists cowered in the face of the Gingrich revolution; as a token of their fear, they agreed that they would avoid the word "cuts" in describing the GOP Medicare program. (Maraniss and Weisskopf described this process in their book, Tell Newt to Shut Up. Links below.) But in that case, it was clear that voters were being badly misled by the pleasing new language Newt was enforcing. No such problem exists at this time, and it's silly—in truth, it's rank amateurism—to criticize Krugman for using an accurate term at one point in a well-reasoned column.
Readers, you're seeing a form of the children's hour as this crusade grabs the liberal web. You're seeing the work of scrub-cheeked scribes who can't distinguish the wheat from the chaff, and as you watch this pointless theme spread, you're seeing why the propaganda wars still vastly favor Republicans. The GOP creates its deceptions the old-fashioned way—in well-financed spin-shop run by men who know, quite well, how to mislead the public. By contrast, some liberal bloggers are wasting their time on mere piffle. To all appearances, they have no idea how to proceed in the ongoing war that might yet give us private accounts.
Yes, Manjoo's piece was truly silly. Meanwhile, Marshall's work has been superb—Oscar-worthy. But at present, the battle over the phrase "personal accounts" is a bit of a sideshow. Dems should insist that their web defenders find their way to topics that matter. Voters are being misled every day about SS, as they've been misled every day for years. But use of the term "personal accounts" isn't the way it's being done, however good it may feel to pretend—and to rail against running-dog Krugman.
VISIT OUR INCOMPARABLE ARCHIVES: In 1995, American voters were vastly misled when scribes agreed not to use the word "cuts." Later, Maraniss and Weisskopf penned a remarkable, on-the-record account of the way this restriction had been enforced. We strongly recommend the Medicare chapter in their book, Tell Newt to Shut Up. For our own (lengthy) report on the subject, you know what to do—just click here.
STEWING ON STEURLE: Some readers complained about Gene Steuerle's appearance on the January 17 Talk of the Nation (see THE DAILY HOWLER, 1/27/05). Steuerle isn't non-partisan, they said; he's just a conservative partisan. One of our most valued readers wrote to voice his impressions:
E-MAIL: It's clear to me that both Conan, whom I have distrusted for some time, and Steurerle were not interested in informing their audience. Steurerle, by his repeated reference to the "small" surplus and the $10T in liabilities was obviously trying to show that the system was in crisis and paper over the disastrous results of Bush's tremendous profligacy (and Democrats before him, to a much lesser degree), just what Bush wants people to believe in order to sell his dishonest plan. By pretending to try to inform, while obfuscating, they can avoid attacks by the Cato Institute and other radicals trying to achieve a phase-out of Social Security...
I think Conan is very consciously trying not to appear too "liberal" and to very carefully cultivates his "conservative" side in issues discussions to the detriment of informing the public.
We have no way to know, but that's not our impression. Incomparably, we penned a reply:
REPLY: I'm inclined to disagree. As far as I know, Steurerle is not pro-privatization, and all his statements seemed to make some sort of sense—but he seems to have no ability to speak in ways average people can understand. RE the trust fund: The trust fund actually is a fairly small part of the overall, long-range funding situation. Given all the spin about "worthless IOUs" and "the money has already been spent," I'm not sure which way it cuts to point that out to people. Meanwhile, I don't know what he meant when he referred to "the liabilities of the system which are well in excess of $10 trillion." Was he referring to the system's unfunded liabilities (over infinite time), which is a tortured GOP spin-point? There's no way to know. He didn't use the word "unfunded," and he didn't explain what he meant. As with almost everything he said, this statement was essentially incoherent.
Meanwhile, many people like Conan really are confused by the logic of this discussion. And it isn't hard to see why they are; there is no one, including Baker and Weisbrot, who has ever tried to reduce these discussions to understandable formats. Through well-funded "think tanks" and store-bought polemicists, conservatives work hard to create and spread conceptual confusion; it's a well-funded, well-staffed priority. In response, liberals stare into air. Where are the Conans supposed to go to see these confusing matters explained?
We'll offer more on this theme in the weeks ahead. But liberals and Democrats need to create effective anti-spin campaigns, created by effective anti-spin shops. It's easy to create conceptual confusion, and it's hard to untangle such chaos. But liberals and Democrats rarely try; instead, some bloggers bang pots together because Paul Krugman once used the word "personal." Boys against men! Year after year, this has been the secret story of how pseudo-cons have won these debates.


During the final stages of labour, the placenta and the membrane which attaches itself around the foetus also requires delivering immediately following the baby's birth. During some births, the placenta may be left retained in the mothers uterus due to poor delivery techniques and monitoring of contractions.
If you or a loved one has been affected by errors in removal of the placenta or treating retained placenta, which has resulted in further complications or surgery, Mistreatment.com may be able to assist.


On July 30, 2018 OSHA issued a new proposed rule to its recordkeeping and reporting regulations for workplace injuries and illnesses. This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) partially rescinds the 2016 amendments to these regulations.
Previously, OSHA required that establishments with 250+ employees e-file their injury and illness data from OSHA Forms 300, 301, and 300A and those with 20+ employees in high-risk industries e-file their injury and illness data from OSHA Form 300A.
Now, larger 250+ establishments will only be expected to e-submit their 300A form. High-hazard establishments with 20+ employees are still required to e-submit their 300A logs.
March 2, 2019 is the deadline to e-file your 2018 data using OSHA's Injury Tracking Application (ITA). (This deadline – March 2 – will recur in the proceeding years).
Please note, although you are only required to electronically submit your 300A Summary information, most businesses with more than 10 employees are required to maintain all three forms (300, 301, & 300A) and submit that information to an OSHA Compliance Officer, should they request it.
Also, anyone who is required to maintain injury and illness records, must post the 300A, Summary of Work-Related Injuries & Illnesses, from February 1 – April 30th in a conspicuous area of your office where employees can see it.
CCI can help you achieve reporting compliance. We can review your injury and illness reports or submit them on your behalf. To find out more, please contact us at (610) 237 – 7100, info@ccicomply.net, or via the web.


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Home/Traditions/Pantomime & Theatre
It's Behind You!
Pantomime is quintessentially British and a traditional part of the festivities in theatres across the land. The genre likely developed from sixteenth century Italian Commedia dell'arte and later from French performing troupes touring Britain. Adaptations of Commedia characters became familiar in seventeenth century Britain and led to the development of the English harlequinade, featuring Harlequin, Columbine, Clown and Pierrot.
Pantomime existed in other forms many centuries earlier. In Ancient Greece, pantomime involved a group who 'imitates all' accompanied by singing and instrumental music. Similar shows were seen in Roman times.
In Britain during the Middle Ages, the Mummers Play was a traditional form of folk entertainment and contained many of the key ingredients of pantomime: coarse humour, stage fights, fantasy creatures with animal heads and gender role reversal. Father Christmas would also make an appearance. These medieval midwinter plays were originally pre-Christian fertility rites.
By the 1800s, European fairytales and nursery rhymes were interwoven with harlequinades. There were acrobatic elements to pantomime and increasing amounts of slapstick. Mime had long been crucial for foreign troupes in Britain, but English-speaking productions emerged through the decades. Christmas, New Year and Easter became the most popular times to stage and witness these shows. The harlequinade element would be phased out through the century until it disappeared altogether by 1940, leaving us with the kind of pantomime we would recognise today.
Audience participation is an essential feature of modern pantos, be it sing-a-longs or cries of "he's behind you" to unsuspecting characters on stage. There is also the essential character-audience banter: "Oh yes it is! Oh no it isn't!"
And the characters no self-respecting pantomime can be without: Principal boy/girl; Pantomime Dame; Villain; Good Fairy; Comic lead and Pantomime horse.
For details on pantomimes being staged across the UK you can visit bigpantoguide.co.uk, pantomime.com and its-behind-you.com.
Did you know…Joseph Grimaldi was the most famous pantomime clown and he made his first appearance in London in 1800? His funny female characters also paved the way for the Pantomime Dame, whose later development sprang from the music halls of the early Victorian era.
Here are the most popular pantomimes performed today and through the last century (Oh no they're not!…Oh yes they are!):
1 – Cinderella
2 – Jack and the Beanstalk
3 – Aladdin
4 – Sleeping Beauty
5 – Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
6 – Peter Pan
7 – Dick Whittington
8 – Mother Goose
9 – Beauty and the Beast
10 – Puss in Boots
11 – Robin Hood & The Babes in the Wood
12 – The Snow Queen
13 – The Wizard of Oz
14 – Pinocchio
15 – Little Red Riding Hood
16 – Hansel and Gretel
17 – Ali Baba & the Forty Thieves
18 – Robinson Crusoe
19 – Humpty Dumpty
20 – Goody Two Shoes
Did you know…in 1999 there were 52 productions of Cinderella in the UK? In 2013 that was down to 22 – but it was still the most popular pantomime around. That remains the case.
Theatre: All of Christmas is a Stage
There is no prize for guessing the most popular festive theatrical show across the country: "A Christmas Carol". Be it in the form of a play or the musical "Scrooge", a production will be staged at Christmastime in a theatre not too far from you. Another popular stage musical is "White Christmas", with a glorious collection of songs from the irrepressible Irving Berlin.
"The Nutcracker" is another festive staple for ballet and Tchaikovsky lovers alike here in the UK. In the United States, this ballet is responsible for generating something like 40 percent of the annual income for major American ballet companies. If you have never attended the ballet before but would like to, this is a great place to start. It is remarkably Christmassy.
The stage version of the hugely popular animation "The Snowman" is now taking its rightful place in the panoply of British Christmas theatre offerings. "The Snowman" is an enduring festive tradition created by the Peacock Theatre, with the show now having run for more than two decades. It continues to take flight up and down the land.
Paul McCartney's Wonderful Life
Sir Paul McCartney is working on a stage musical adaptation of the classic Christmas film "It's a Wonderful Life". He was just four when the film was released in 1946. The new musical version is set for its opening night late in 2020.
"It's A Wonderful Life is my favourite film," said the Tony Award-winning producer Bill Kenwright. "It has absolutely everything – comedy, pathos and a rare humanity which has touched generation after generation. To give it a life on the stage is an immense privilege in itself, but to do with Paul McCartney is off the scale. Paul's wit, emotional honesty and melodic brilliance brings a whole new depth and breadth to the classic tale. I feel as if an angel must be looking after me." There was a musical adaptation of Frank Capra's film in the US in 1986, later to be revived but to little acclaim.
Radio City Splendour
If you should be lucky enough to find yourself in New York in the run up to Christmas, we implore you to buy tickets for "The Radio City Christmas Spectacular" starring the fabulous Radio City Rockettes. It's a Big Apple tradition delivered with Hollywood style and a delight for kids of all ages. Shows begin in November at the historic Radio City Music Hall. Check out rockettes.com.
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Online-Sweepstakes.com > Sweepstakes & Contests > General Sweepstakes Discussion > I feel like Charlie Brown trying to kick a football..
View Full Version : I feel like Charlie Brown trying to kick a football..
Well, this is my first "new thread". . hope I'm in the right place!
UPS has never stopped at my house with a win. . .not yet, anyway! So today, as we sat in the front room chitting and chatting about nothing in particular, up roars that shiny brown truck, and it squeals to stop right in front of my house! As the driver hopped out we all stood and took a step toward the front door, eyes gleaming in anticipation. . .and then. . .
as we open the door we see the driver hop right back into the truck, and zoom it in reverse back down the street a hundred feet to my next door neighbor's house on our left. As he sprinted for THEIR front door with a good-sized package, our excited babble turned to sounds of dismay, but then. . .he jumped back into his truck, hit the gas, and braked hard in front of our next door neighbor's to the right, sprinted to THEIR door with a box.. .as our sounds of dismay turned to outright expletives! Then he drove away.
And then, we had a good laugh at ourselves, powered up the computer, and started entering more sweeps!
OK, so what's your UPS story???
You thinks that's bad? Try having the UPS truck back into your driveway right up to the door, the driver jump out and start putting big boxes labeled DELL on your steps - to find out (after the fouth box has been unloaded and you are jumping all around doing the "Oh my God I must have won a computer" dance like a maniac and calling your husband at work screaming ) - that he is at the wrong house!
That is very, very sad Tesla! I feel your pain!


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That Football Daily
The Home of irish football
Smith bids Coleraine fond farewell as Bannsiders keep Europa dream alive
Posted By: That Football Daily July 14, 2018
It's a well-trodden path for players in Northern Ireland. They make the grade at their home town club and emerge to become targets for clubs in England. Many choose to pursue a career across the water, where the game is bigger, as are the wages.
Coleraine's Martin Smith has recently departed the Bannsiders to follow a route into the English game. He has been snapped up by Swindon Town, bossed by Phil Brown and who play in Sky Bet League Two.
As he made the arrangements to join up with his team-mates at the County Ground, Smith took time out to pay tribute to his former club and to thank the fans for their support during his time with them.
"First of all I want to say thank you to my teammates, a special group and what we did this year together will remain with me for the rest of my life. Thank you to Oran Kearney and his coaching team for giving me the opportunity and welcoming me to the club with open arms, all the backroom staff who make the club tick behind the scenes and chairman Colin McKendry and the board for the way they looked after me during my time here.
"The club as a whole have a place in my heart forever and I can't wait to return as a fan and support the club. Most importantly thank you to the fans, what we done this year wouldn't have been possible without you, keep supporting the team and they will reward you all with more trophies in the future.
"The best fans in the country. It's time to move on to the next chapter in my football career so all the best and I'll see all of you Bannsiders again soon."
His touching comments came before his former outfit suffered disappointment with a late penalty conceded in a 1-1 draw in a Europa League first-leg qualifier in Serbia against Spartak Subotica.
The morale-sapping spot-kick came on 96 minutes to deny the Bannsiders a win after Ian Parkhill fouled Nemanja Glavcic and Mile Savkovic scored. But coach Terry McKendry, taking on duties in the absence of holidaying Kearney, said the result was one which filled him with pride despite the late setback.
"I looked at the penalty again and thought it was soft. Our first instinct was that we were absolutely gutted for the players because they had worked so hard and were excellent to a man. But then you get back into the changing room and you realise the game is still alive, while this time last year the game was dead and buried. Our lads were out on their feet. Spartak are a very technically gifted side and had a lot of possession."
Darren McAuley gave the visitors the lead in the first half which, ultimately, gives his side a chance of progressing through the tie, with the second leg at Ballycastle Road on 19 July. And McKendry added:
"I'm proud as punch because the players took everything that we had been working on during the last few weeks into the game. It's different when Oran and William aren't here but the players were superb.
"To get a draw away from home in Europe is probably more than I thought we could achieve, but when we got the early goal we had something to hold on to. The tie is very much still alive. We are still in with a chance and it's all credit to the players. To go through to the second round would be immense for a part-time club and great financially."
Pre Season
© Falbros Sports


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West Valley police officer, 2 people hurt in crash
(Utah Department of Transportation)
BY JOSH ELLIS
WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — An officer with the West Valley City Police Department and two other people were injured in a Friday morning crash.
WVCPD Lt. Robert Brinton said the officer was taken to Intermountain Medical Center by ambulance to be evaluated for possible head injuries.
The injured officer was in stable condition and Brinton said the officer's injuries were not critical. The two people who were in the other vehicle suffered minor injuries and were taken to Jordan Valley Medical Center in West Valley City as a precaution.
The crash happened around 5:35 a.m. Friday at the intersection of 5600 West and 3500 South.
Brinton said everyone is cooperating with the investigation and there were no signs of impairment from either party.
Investigators from the Unified and West Jordan police departments will handle the investigation. Part of southbound 5600 West will be blocked off while investigators are on scene.
Follow @https://twitter.com/jellis9


You have started visiting with a fertility clinic and maybe even started treatment. Yet, something just doesn't seem to be right. You initially may have had a good feeling about this doctor, but something has changed and you feel too guilty to back out and begin looking for other options to truly suit your needs.
The important thing to remember is that this is not about the doctor's feelings, and a good doctor will not be offended if you decide that it is time to make a change. They may encourage you to give your treatment a bit more time, but if something in your gut is telling you that it's time to go, then there probably is a reason.
Still, it is understandable if you are concerned that your impatience may be getting the best of you. When deciding if it is time to make a change, it is always helpful to consider the positives and negatives of your situation. Let's take a look at what an ideal fertility clinic should be providing you, and when it probably is a good time to start researching other options.
A good fertility clinic isn't solely defined by its' promising success rates. There are a number of different factors that contribute to those numbers. Just because some people may have had a good experience doesn't always mean that you will feel the same way.
Patient Satisfaction: A clinic's ultimate priority should be the satisfaction of the patient. It may happen that the doctor believes they are giving the right advice, however, if the patient wishes to go another way, it is important that they feel heard and taken care of. A clinic should welcome feedback and be ready to offer alternatives if you are unhappy with your experience.
Communication: You should always feel that communication is wide open and easy between you and your doctor. Your fertility treatment is something you do not want to feel insecure about. Keeping you up to date and making sure you are always on the same page is the best way a health care provider can help with that.
Quality Control: A clinic should always be paying close attention to their procedures and making sure standards, policies, and protocols are maintained. Knowing that your clinic is concerned about the quality of your experience is key to providing a safe and focused environment.
Providing Options: Even if you have already made your decision for treatment, a good doctor should always make you aware of all of your options. There may be a new type of testing that you didn't know about, and they should never assume that you have done all of the necessary research in order to know what is best for you.
Laboratory Methods: The quality of the equipment used in the lab is essential when it comes to ensuring that you receive the treatment you deserve. A lab should always have well-maintained, up-to-date equipment. Cleanliness of staff and equipment should be immaculate, and safety procedures clearly defined.
Staff Training: It should be evident that all staff members are well-trained. Their skills and training should be documented through clearly posted diplomas, certifications and/or such information being provided in brochures and on websites. Staff should continually update their knowledge by attending conferences as new research is developed.
Like "just another number" at their clinic: If you are not getting enough one on one time with your doctor it is understandable that you may begin to feel that you aren't getting the attention you require.
Another clinic has more options: Some clinics do not offer quite as large of a variety of treatment options and you may decide you want to try something different.
The amount of traveling you are doing isn't worth it: You may have chosen a clinic you have to travel quite a ways for because of their stellar success rates, but find that there is one closer to you that you hadn't heard of before. Having your clinic near you can eliminate a great deal of stress and unnecessary costs.
It is simply time to move on: There is nothing wrong with this and is completely up to your discretion.
The overall culture and organization of your fertility clinic can make a huge difference in your experience. You should feel welcome, well taken care of, and truly heard by your doctor and the rest of the employees you come into contact with.
If you feel you are not getting that where you currently are, you have every right to make a change. If you are ready to move on and try a new clinic, don't worry, make the decision that feels right for you. Remember that your medical records are your property and your new physician and staff should be able to help you transfer any of your materials from your previous clinic.
Changing doctors is not personal, it is about advocating for yourself. Take your time, make your decisions wisely, and remember -- you have the right to work with any clinic or doctor that you feel is best for you.


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Suspending To The Injury Is A Recipe For Disaster
By Andrew Johnson April 16th, 2012
Brendan Shanahan, the NHL's head disciplinarian, has become the most controversial figure of the 2012 playoffs. Several puzzling decisions regarding supplementary discipline have left a bad taste in the mouths of hockey fans everywhere. In an attempt to explain his decisions further, Shanahan took to the airwaves Monday. In his interview with WFAN NY, Shanahan discussed the reasons behind the 4 choices he's had to make so far. The explanations offered paint a bleak picture of the NHL's future.
That's because the only real explanation given for the varying amounts of punishment seems to be injury. If a player was injured on the play, repercussions will be more severe than if he wasn't. The NHL's failure to understand the glaring problem with that mindset is alarming.
It would seem that intent simply does not matter to the NHL. There have been 3 clear examples of this fact in recent days.
Did Shea Weber intend to injure Henrik Zetterberg when he slammed his head face into the glass at the end of game 1? I'm not sure what other intent there could have been, yet it doesn't matter because Zetterberg wasn't injured.
"I was very close to a 1-game suspension on that. When I talked to Detroit [GM Ken Holland], he basically said that the player was fine."
Weber was assessed a $2,500 fine for the incident. A drop in the bucket for a player making $7.5 million a year.
Did Matt Carkner intend to injure Brian Boyle when he skated across the ice, sucker punched him, and then continued to pummel him while he lay defenseless on the ice? That's the sole reason he was in the lineup, to exact revenge for what the Senators thought were unsportsmanlike plays by Boyle the game before. Clear motivation, crystal clear intent. Carkner received a 1 game suspension.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhjhBMGYEng
Did Carl Hagelin intend to injury Daniel Alfredsson when he recklessly elbowed him in the head? It seems pretty obvious that he didn't. Yet Alfredsson's (supposed) concussion on the play resulted in a 3 game suspension for Hagelin.
"So Boyle stands up, is fine, doesn't miss a shift. Whereas unfortunately with an elbow to the head … I do think Carl Hagelin's a good kid, but he looks right at Daniel Alfredsson, skates at him and elbows him right in the head. Alfredsson has to leave a big game, an important game and doesn't come back."
Alfredsson, by the way, passed baseline tests this morning and is a game time decision. Given the stage, I'd say it's pretty likely he'll play.
And while I'm not accusing the Ottawa Senators or Daniel Alfredsson of lying in order to worsen punishment for their foes, such actions do have a huge potential for happening when the motivation for them is handed out on a silver platter.
It's the same problem the NHL faces with calling dives along with penalties. Why wouldn't a player embellish when his only risk is putting his team 4-on-4, with the possible upside of getting a powerplay? The same type of "Why?" question can be applied here.
Why wouldn't a team exaggerate an injury in order to cripple their opponent further? Teams want to win. They can't be expected to be honest all the time, especially in the heat of the competitive playoffs.
By placing the decision so squarely on whether or not an injury is sustained, the NHL has made a grave misstep. Teams now have the knowledge that they can influence Shanahan's decision-making process quite simply.
It equates quite nicely to a court of law. If Person X accidentally fires a gun and it kills someone, and Person Y attempts murder and fails, Person X will receive the harsher punishment in the NHL courthouse. There's a reason that's not the way it really works; It's stupid.
Intent should be everything to these decisions. In a fast paced physical game, accidents will happen. Yes, trying to make players more responsible for their bodies is a great initiative, but to punish them more for accidents than intentional attacks is mind-bogglingly unintelligent.
The problem seems to be that intent is more difficult to prove. The NHL would rather not spend the time or make the effort to prove intent, and would much prefer to simply look at medical reports instead. They don't trust players enough to be honest about intentions (which they shouldn't), but they trust them enough to be honest about their injuries. They're taking a shortcut that lacks any kind of logic.
That's not even taking into consideration the fact that, even without the potential for lies, injuries are unpredictable from person to person. Commit the same act twice and you're likely to receive 2 different results. Every player is different. Everybody responds differently to different actions. The NHL has now quite clearly said that you're responsible more for how your opponent responds to your action than you are for the action itself.
If I punch 2 people in the face, one suffers a broken nose and one just a bruise, does it make either of the actions worse than the other? According to the NHL it does, and if that doesn't seem silly to you, there's a problem.
Take Duncan Keith's hit on Daniel Sedin just prior to the start of the playoffs. Keith was suspended for 5 games because Sedin suffered a concussion that continues to keep him out of the lineup. If Sedin had walked away from the exact same hit perfectly fine, would Keith have only gotten 2 or 3 games, and is the NHL honestly okay with that? Because such a situation is entirely possible, and they will run into circumstances where 2 very similar hits result in very different responses from the victim.
Until the NHL decides to suspend based upon intentions and circumstance and not injury, their decisions and consistency will be questioned at every turn. It's impossible to stay consistent when relying on result and not action. It's impossible to look intelligent when making choices based upon the aftermath and not the event. It's impossible to improve the game or curb the frequency of such events when the punishment is so completely unpredictable.
The current formula only rewards teams for being dishonest and punishes players for how their opponent responds. It's ludicrous, and must be scrapped completely. Until it is, this uproar of discontentment wont die down. The entire hockey community is in arms, and until the NHL responds with some common sense, things will only get worse.
Brendan Shanahan
Matt Carkner


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St. Joseph, Guardian of Jesus | Church Year
Concordia Publishing House March 19, 2019
As we remember Joseph today and consider the role he played in the Holy Family, we think about our own families. Our devotion comes from Courageous Fathers of the Bible.
2 Samuel 7:4–16
Romans 4:13–18
Matthew 2:13–15, 19–23
The tone in Joseph's family was one of consistent piety. By example, Joseph taught his family the importance of worship and careful observance of God's festival of grace. The piety of Joseph is also revealed in the fact that Jesus' circumcision and Mary's purification both happened by the book, right on schedule (Luke 2:21–24). That Joseph was ready to divorce his mysteriously pregnant betrothed also further indicates the importance he attached to following the law of God, which forbid a man to marry an adulterous woman. Joseph wanted to do things the right way, God's way.
The claim that Joseph is good is also supported by his regular practice of immediate and unhesitating obedience. The morning after his first dream encounter with God's angel, "When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him" (Matthew 1:24). He didn't need to think it over. He didn't need to consult with friends or trusted confidants. He did what he was told to do. The next time an angel interrupted Joseph's dreams, it was urgent. Herod was out to kill the child. Joseph didn't wait for the sun. While it was still night, he packed up his family and left for Egypt, what must have seemed to Joseph a strange country on the other side of the world (Matthew 2:14). Again, Joseph obeyed without objection or question. It was just the way Joseph was. He did what God wanted him to do.
Joseph, it seems, did not have much to say. Quiet humility that issued in action—that was the way of Joseph. He knew he was a stand-in, temporary father. It is not hard to create a fanciful scenario of Joseph in a crisis of identity, questioning his personal significance after Jesus' declaration that He must be in His "Father's house." But it is more likely that Joseph handled this with typical aplomb. Luke records that "they did not understand the saying that He spoke to them" (Luke 2:50). Given the ordinary way that Jesus was growing up, this is not surprising. Neither Joseph nor Mary could possibly have grasped the full import of the incredible reality in which they were living. Joseph did not need to understand (how could he?). In humility he simply busied himself with what he did understand: protecting and providing for his family.
Joseph's was a special family, holy indeed. But the holiness was not from Joseph—no matter how faithful he was as a father. And the holiness was not from Mary—though her favored stature is celebrated even in Scripture. No, the Holy Family was holy for only one reason: Jesus was there. Our holiness comes the way that Joseph's came. It comes by contact with Jesus. When Christ dwells in us through His Word and Sacraments, we are holy. When Christ dwells in our families in Word and action, when families are founded on the work of Christ, when they are families of forgiveness and incubators of grace, then they are holy.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for our dads here on earth and for being our perfect Father in heaven. Help us . . . glorify You with our words, actions, and faith. In the name of Your Son, Jesus. Amen.
Devotional reading is adapted from Courageous Fathers of the Bible, pages 83–86 © 2011 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved.
Prayer is from Family Faith Walks, page 118 © 2002 Kelly J. Haack. Published by Concordia Publishing House.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.


Having started to conquer the Premier League with the title-winning campaign at City last season, Guardiola looks to be building another dynasty and has no immediate plans to leave the Etihad.
City are without the Belgium global due to a knee injury that is set to rule De Bruyne out of action until November.
The Spaniard is now in charge of his third senior side at City, following jobs at FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
"If the opportunity came, I would like to be a national team coach", he said on the Universe Valdano show.
"[Leeds United boss] Marcelo Bielsa told me he was his favourite player". He does everything. I recently met his parents and you only understand how children are when you have met the parents. The clause is €250million.
Barcelona supporters might get the chance to see Pep Guardiola back at their club after all, as the Manchester City coach admitted that he'd like to finish his coaching career back at La Masia. "I'm sorry, he is not for sale".
And the 47-year-old confirmed he also has ambitions to try his hand at worldwide management should the chance arise. "I want to try it".
Hart, 31, joined Burnley in the close season and is enjoying first-team football in the Premier League again and says he holds no bad feelings towards the coach, even if he does not respect his opinion on his ability.
"Yes, I've renewed. I'm really happy there", he added. "I'm at the club that interests me".


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Film Review 4th September 2017 6th September 2017
IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD (1963)
The dying words of a thief spark a madcap cross-country rush to find buried treasure…
Film Review 23rd July 2017 24th July 2017
STALKER (1979)
by Frank Collins
A guide leads two men through an area known as the Zone to find a room that grants wishes.
Film Review 24th June 2017 25th June 2017
THE FISHER KING (1991)
A former 'shock jock' radio DJ, suicidal after a tragedy he set in motion, finds redemption in helping a mentally ill homeless man…
LES DIABOLIQUE (1955)
The wife and mistress of a cruel headmaster conspire to kill him; but after the deed is done, his corpse disappears, and strange events begin to plague them…
Film Review 2nd April 2017 29th April 2017
A psychologist is sent to a station orbiting a distant planet in order to discover what has caused the crew to go insane.
Film Review 19th March 2017 21st March 2017
MULTIPLE MANIACS (1970)
Lady Divine becomes enraged when her boyfriend cheats on her, and descends into a life of murder and mayhem.
Film Review 4th March 2017 4th March 2017
MILDRED PIERCE (1945)
A hard-working mother inches towards disaster as she divorces her husband and starts a successful restaurant business to support her spoiled daughter.
Film Review 16th January 2017 17th January 2017
HIS GIRL FRIDAY (1940)
by Sarah Hughes
A newspaper editor uses every trick in the book to keep his ace reporter ex-wife from remarrying.
Film Review 2nd December 2016 3rd December 2016
THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (2001)
An estranged family of former child prodigies reunites when their father announces he is terminally ill.
Film Review 27th November 2016 29th November 2016
DREAMS (1990)
A collection of tales based upon the actual dreams of legendary Japanese director Akira Kurosawa.
PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE (2002)
A psychologically troubled novelty supplier is nudged towards a romance with an English woman, all the while being extorted by a phone-sex line run by a crooked mattress seller…
Film Review 24th October 2016 25th October 2016
DAY FOR NIGHT (1973)
A committed film director struggles to complete his movie while coping with a myriad of crises, both personal and professional, among his cast and crew.
THE MAN WHO KILLED DON QUIXOTE (2018)
Competition: Win ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL!
THE LAST STARFIGHTER (1984)


According to the U.S, department of agriculture, Oklahoma ranks 6th among the most food-insecure states in the nation. Because the need is so great, Arvest Bank invites you to help them fight hunger in the 135+ communities in which they serve. They call it the Million Meals project, and you are invited to participate in these fundraising efforts and non-perishable food drives!
Launching their ninth annual Million Meals campaign on April 1st, Arvest's goal is to provide at least one million meals to local, hungry families! The initiative continues through June 1, and later that month, donations will be presented to over 70 locally selected organizations that feed the hungry in their communities.
Using the Arvest Go mobile app.
Arvest Bank, named by Forbes magazine as one of "America's Best Large Employers" for 2018, operates more than 250 bank branches in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas through a group of 14 locally managed banks, each with its own board and management team. These banks serve customers in more than 120 communities, with extended weekday banking hours at many locations. Arvest Bank also provides a wide range of banking services including loans, deposits, treasury management, credit cards, mortgage loans and mortgage servicing. Arvest Bank is an Equal Housing Lender and Member FDIC.